I have been wanting to visit Wightwick Manor (pronounced "Wittick") for a long time. This wonderful Arts and Crafts house on the edge of Wolverhampton was owned by the Mander family and bequeathed to the National Trust in 1937. HERE is a link to more about its history and the Mander family.
I hardly need to say that Wolverhampton (on the outskirts of Birmingham) is a long way from Carmarthenshire. We set off about 7.45 and "my" route took us around Kidderminster which slowed us down a bit. Keith's route home (via Ludlow) was faster and took us through some lovely Shropshire countryside.
This is the drawing room, with a lovely grand piano with marquetry work, topped with three William de Morgan plates. The framed picture to the right is embroidered and has music notes in lines across it too. I was tickled by the little pelmet curtain across the front!
This lovely fireplace is an Italian Renaissance one of about 15590, lines with hand-painted de Morgan tiles. Fabulous brass Fire Dogs. (Vesey?)
One wall of the Library, with its beautiful tiled fireplace.
Another gorgeous fireplace with fire dogs. I disremember which room this was. Possibly the drawing room.
"Three stunners" - Rossetti's drawings above a mid-18th C dresser with another de Morgan plate just in view.
If you saw the programme recently on the Arts & Crafts House, these were the very fire irons that the artisans had tore-imagine in the Arts & Crafts House series on tv earlier this year. Rod, a bladesmith and metal worker, did a fabulous job on his.
This drawing upstairs took my eye - this lady had such a kind face. Pattypan - she reminds me a little of you.
A sumptious four poster bed with a lovely bed-cover worked by William Morris's talented needlewoman daughter, May. I asked our eldest daughter for a book about her textiles and it is brilliant.
Another guest room, the Acanthus Room, with William Morris wallpaper and a bed which was made around 1860 (either in England or Italy) re-using inlaid pieces of Italian marquetry, mother of pearl and ivory panels dating from c.1700.
In the same room two beautiful pictures - the one above by Burne-Jones and possibly the bottom one too. This top one is believed to be Julia Duckworth, who was Virginia Woolf's mother. The eyes were amazing.
The new header photo was taken last May in the Usk valley.
