Wightwick Manor and Gardens
Although a little removed from the key locations on our trail, this Victorian estate in the West Midlands is a beautiful place to learn how Ruskin inspired the creative crowd of his era, and to discover interiors that celebrate the work of William Morris and the Pre-Raphaelites. Once owned by the wealthy Mander family, Wightwick is home to a vast collection of Pre-Raphaelite works, including those by lesser-known artists in the brotherhood. If the house’s interiors seem to be straight out of a Morris & Co catalogue, they very likely were. Although the Arts and Crafts designer Morris never visited the house, its rooms are a homage to his innovative, nature-inspired style. Ruskin was friends with the founders of the National Trust, and influential in its beginnings. Wightwick was the first property to be handed over to the trust under its Country Houses Scheme, which began in 1937. Wightwick Bank, Wolverhampton, West Midlands, WV6 8EE. 01902 761400; nationaltrust.org.uk/wightwick-manor-and-gardens