‘There is seemingly a Victorian boathouse by the lake. The English Heritage website describes it as being ‘rustic,’ whilst Historic England say it is ‘ruinous’. Opinions seem to differ as to whether you are trying to draw in visitors or whether you want to state fact’
It was recommended that we visit Witley Court in Worcestershire by Andrew, the owner of the holiday cottage we were staying at in Eardiston in September 2024. When we arrived we didn’t at first know what to make of the place; had we made the right decision? Should we stay or should we go? Was it going to be worth the entrance fee? After a short deliberation we thought it might be worth a look so we paid the nice English Heritage lady and ventured inside.
The photo below is the sight that greets you as you walk up the driveway, very impressive; we’d made the right decision not to leave.
Witley Court is a ruined Italianate mansion. It was built for Baron Foley in the seventeenth century on the site of a former Manor House. It was expanded in the early nineteenth century by the architect John Nash for Thomas Foley, 3rd Baron Foley. The estate was later sold to the Earls of Dudley who undertook a second massive reconstruction in the mid-nineteenth century, employing architect Samuel Daukes to create one of the great palaces of Victorian and Edwardian England.
The declining fortune of the Dudleys saw the sale of the court after the First World War to a Kidderminster carpet manufacturer. In 1937 a major fire caused great damage to the court, the estate was broken up and sold and the house was subsequently stripped of its fittings and furnishings. Forty years of decay followed, before the house and grounds were taken into the care of the Department of the Environment in 1972. Since that point, significant restoration and stabilisation have secured the house as a spectacular ruin. It is now in the care of English Heritage.
The building is interesting in that unlike many stately homes, because it’s a ruin, you can actually see how it has been built and altered over the years.
The next photo below is taken from just inside the ruins of the house, looking through the columns to the fountain, the Perseus and Andromeda Fountain. It is the centrepiece of the main South Garden which has been restored and gives stunning displays on the hour. Described as one of the grandest fountains in Europe, the Perseus and Andromeda Fountain is Grade I listed and set in an ornamental shaped pool from c1860, carved by James Forsyth for Lord Ward, the first Earl of Dudley.
The central Portland stone statue represents Perseus riding Pegasus and rescuing Andromeda who has been chained to a rock by the jealous Poseidon, from the sea monster. The bases are encircled by alternating grotesque fish and shells.
The fountain fires hourly during the summer but is not used at all in the winter.
The next picture is another view of the ruins, this time taken from the formal gardens. Even though it is now just a shell you can imagine the grandeur and opulence of the building before it was destroyed by fire. Money seemed to be no object to the owners of this house, in fact the Dudley family had one built to the exact same design in London.
The conservatory, or rather the remains of it, is very impressive; I don’t think I’ve ever seen one so large.
The 1937 fire has caused considerable damage but it is easy to imagine how wonderful this must have looked in its glory days. It may be looking rather sad but it did smell wonderful as it is full of lavender plants which were still in bloom, just. This conservatory is a million miles away from the white uPVC constructions you see attached to modern houses.
Moving away from the main building, attached to Witley Court is the church of St. Michael & All Angels. The church suffered no damage when the house was destroyed by fire. It is rather austere- looking on the outside but the interior tells a different story.
St. Michael & All Angels is, and has always been, the Church of England Parish Church for the villages of Great Witley and Little Witley. It has never been a private chapel. The parish of Great Witley was a flourishing community in Saxon times and it is believed a parish church had existed on, or around, the present site for many centuries. Unlike Witley Court, the church is not in the care of English Heritage.
The church was built in 1735 by Lady Mary, widow of the 1st Lord Foley. She died before it was consecrated and her son, the 2nd Lord Foley, continued with the completion. There is a memorial monument dedicated to his parents and their five children who predeceased them.
The austere exterior of the church doesn’t really prepare you for what is inside. It reminded us both of several churches we’d visited whilst in Italy, but then we discovered that most of the artwork had been commissioned and painted in Italy then brought across for installation.
The church has a splendour which is unique amongst country churches in Britain. It has exquisite gilded decorations throughout, ceiling paintings by Antonio Bellucci, ten painted glass windows by Joshua Price depicting biblical scenes and a very impressive gilded organ which can be seen in the photo below.
Whilst the adjoining Witley Court was occupied the church was used regularly but sadly after the fire at the Court in 1937 it was abandoned. Most services were then held in the chapel of ease in the village. The church suffered a period of neglect until 1965 when an extensive restoration programme was started by concerned parishioners in order to save the parish church from further decay. The result of the restoration is what can be seen inside the church today.
Below are two more photographs showing artwork by the artist Bellucci. I wasn’t aware until I carried out some research that Bellucci was an Italian soldier who became a painter of the Rococo period; he was best known for his work in England, Germany and Austria.
This photo shows his painting of The Descent from the Cross.
The below photo is what I’d term a ‘crick in the neck’ shot. Its title is The Ascension and it is located in the centre of the ceiling.
The vaults in the crypt below the church were opened up a few years ago and are now on view to the public. They contain lead coffins in various states of decay and Lord Dudley’s original granite tomb. There is also the Samuel Thorpe tower clock from 1804 now restored and in working condition, as well as a display of material and artefacts relating to the church and Witley Court, and the families involved over the last 300 years.
Out of respect for the people in the coffins (and yes, you can see remains of the bodies) photography is not allowed in the crypt. What I can say though is that it is well worth a visit.
That brings us to the end of the story of the house and the church: time to take a leisurely stroll down to the lake. There are many winding woodland paths in Witley’s vast parkland and hundreds of different species of trees and shrubs from all over the world. The path we followed led us directly to this beautiful unspoilt lake where you can watch the resident birds gliding by on the water.
There is seemingly a Victorian boathouse by the lake. The English Heritage website describes it as being ‘rustic’, whilst Historic England say it is ‘ruinous’. Opinions seem to differ as to whether you are trying to draw in visitors or whether you want to state fact.
After several hours of wandering around the ruins of the Court, visiting the amazing church and the unusual, eerie crypt and walking around the woodland, gardens and the lake, it was now time to visit the tea room for drinks and homemade treats in the large well kept garden, formerly Lady Rachel Dudley’s private topiary garden.
I’m sorry to say there are no photos of the coffee and cakes but I do hope you’ve enjoyed reading about this fascinating place. Thankyou for looking.
If you are ever in the area, please pay Witley Court a visit; you will not be disappointed.
All Writing & Images – Ruth Craine, Spring 2025
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