Exhibition - Wightwick: A House of Books
Discover the Mander family's rich literary legacy at Wightwick Manor, where books, art, and personal stories come to life in our new exhibition for 2025.
- Booking not needed
- Free event (admission applies)
Wightwick Manor invites you to explore a home steeped in the love of reading and writing.
Generations of the Mander family were passionate collectors and readers, filling their home with volumes that reflected their wide-ranging interests, from art and politics to poetry and local history. But the Manders were not only readers, many they were also writers. As you move through the house, you will discover the personal stories behind their literary lives.
Some of the earliest items acquired for Wightwick, after it was given to the National Trust in 1937, were Kelmscott Press books and the original designs for them. They were the work of William Morris, the founding Father of the Arts & Crafts movement, many with illustrations by his close friend and collaborator, the artist Edward Burne-Jones. These were collected by Sir Geoffrey Mander, whose friendship with Sir Sydney Cockerell, Morris’s private secretary, gave him unique access to these treasures.
You can explore this remarkable collection in the Daisy Room, where an exhibition brings together the Kelmscott Presses beautifully crafted volumes alongside books from some of the private presses it inspired.
It’s a celebration not just of books, but of the people who made them, loved them, and lived by them.
Times
Prices
Event ticket prices
This event is free, but normal admission charges apply for the venue.
Check admission pricesThe basics
- Suitability
Everyone welcome
- Meeting point
Please check in at Visitor Reception on arrival. The exhibition is in the Manor, with interpretation in various rooms, and a display of Kelmscott Press books in the Daisy Room on the upper floor.
- What to bring and wear
Please no stiletto heels or bags larger than A4 size in the Manor.
- Accessibility
Elements of the exhibition can be seen throughout the Manor (ground floor and upper floor), with the Kelmscott Press sections of the display in the Daisy Bedroom on the upper floor which can only be accessed via stairs.
- Other
No booking required, normal admission costs apply.
Upcoming events
Free Christmas Tree Book Folding Workshop
Turn the pages of an old book into a charming folded Christmas tree in this hands-on festive workshop.
Pressed Flower Art Workshops with The Lilac Tree
Join The Lilac Tree for a creative and relaxing Pressed Flower Art Workshop at the picturesque Wightwick Manor and Gardens.
SOLD OUT Adult Beginners Needle Felting Workshop - Double Decorations: Robin and Christmas Pudding
This is a festive workshop aimed at adult beginners or first time felters with tutor Natalie Harris(Brooks). Natalie is a fine artist using needle felting and the creator of Roly Poly Ponies.
Don't Go into the Cellar, Victorian Theatre presents ‘Sherlock Holmes Strikes Back!’
Join us in the Great Parlour for this original stage-play. Brought to you by Don't Go Into The Cellar Theatre - the British Empire's leading practitioners of macabre Victoriana!