WIGHTWICK MANOR

Pronounced ‘Wittick’, to the west of Wolverhampton is a tribute to the Arts and Crafts movement. It was built by local industrialist Theodore Mander and his wife Flora in the 1880s and 90s. In 1937, their son Geoffrey gave the house to the National Trust and he and his wife became its live-in curators, opening the house to the public and adding to its contents with a collection of Pre-Raphaelite paintings. So now this family home is an unlikely art gallery. But it also has a remarkable garden. At the beginning of the last century, the Manders employed the foremost Arts and Crafts garden designer, Thomas Mawson, to lay out their grounds. From the formal garden through the orchard to the pools and the kitchen garden, there’s plenty to see. As so often with Arts and Crafts gardens, a dominant design feature are its ‘rooms’ – areas marked by clipped yew hedges, or terraces giving different feelings.

In the summer, the sun-soaked south terrace is an enjoyable place to linger, or take shade under the rose arbour – the Arts and Crafts movement in gardening reinforced our love of such classic English plants as the rose, and Wightwick has many varieties bordering the paths and lawns, and in the formal rose garden. Beyond the hedges and flower beds are the informal gardens. With two pools as central features, they provide year-round interest with spring flowers, summer blooms and autumn colour. Nearby are two orchards,

which have traditional fruit varieties.

Address Wightwick Bank, Wolverhampton, West Midlands WV6 8EE. Opening times Garden is open daily from 10am-5pm Prices Adult, £10; child, £5; family, £25.

For more info and to book*, visit nationaltrust.org. uk/wightwickmanor