A three-year conservation project to repair and restore the Grade I listed Wightwick Manor, ensuring its preservation for future generations to enjoy. Find out more about The Big MEND project.
Wightwick Manor was built and furnished according to the Arts & Crafts ideals; it dates from 1887-8, with a later extension in 1893. It is recognised as an important example of the architecture and design of the later 19th century, containing much work by the leading designers of the day and is one of only a few such houses.
Wightwick Manor's significance comes from its interior equally as its exterior. The iconic & ornate timber frame however is not structural, but instead superficial and allowing for high decorative features. The facades also contain rich decorative bay windows, chimneys, stained glass, bargeboards and stonework.
After more than 125 years, the frame is showing signs of deterioration due to age and weathering and the timber is losing its integrity. This is resulting in movement of the frame, the plaster infill panels becoming loose, oak pegs falling out and window frames requiring repair.
By the end of 2026, The Big MEND project aims to:
This work will be phased over three years, between 2023/24 to 2025/26.
We’re delighted to have been awarded a grant from Arts Council England, on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, to allow this extensive repair work to get underway.
This Museum Estate & Development (MEND) Fund is for a total of £658,260, which will go towards the repairs to the exteriors at Wightwick, and also inspires the project’s name, ‘The Big MEND’.
The National Trust is contributing £139,320, taking the total project cost to just under £800,000.
The cast iron gutters and downpipes on the 1887 parts of the house require repair and need modifying from their smaller form (as was per the fashion of the late 19th century) to larger and deeper ones, in order to enlarge their capacity to cope with increased rainfall and volume of water caused by climate change.
Over the next few years, you will also see more repairs and improvement works on other aspects of Wightwick Manor and Garden's built heritage. These include:
We are now busy preparing for Phase 2 which will to start in March 2024, with the erection of the scaffolding on the south front of the Manor, with building work commencing after the Easter Holidays.
The majority of the work will focus on the Great Parlour and the frames of the stained glass windows, but there will also be some scaffolding near the front door of the Manor. There may be some limited areas of the garden roped off to allow for the safe installation of the scaffold.
To facilitate these works, we'll briefly close the Great Parlour and Billiard Room. Fear not though, as the rest of the Manor will remain open and visitors can peek into the Great Parlour, providing a unique opportunity to witness the restoration process in action.
When the Great Parlour reopens as the work continues, visitors will gain unprecedented access to the intricacies of building and collection care. Some of the restored stained glass windows will be displayed in the Great Parlour at eye-level, providing a unique perspective on Charles Eamer Kempe's craftsmanship.
As part of our commitment to preserving our artistic treasures, some key artworks, such as Edward Burne-Jones' 'Love Among the Ruins' and G.F. Watts' 'Mrs Nassau Senior (Jane Hughes),' will be safeguarded off-site until January 2025. 'Love Among the Ruins' embarks on a journey to Italy for the ‘Pre Raphaelites: A Modern Renaissance’ exhibition, before being shown at Upton House NT. 'Mrs Nassau Senior' will have a temporary home at the Watts Gallery in Surrey. Other artworks and furniture will be moved to other areas of the Manor for safe storage or temporary re-display.
This phase of the project emphasizes both structural improvements and the opportunity for visitors to witness the care and preservation of the Manor's heritage. We invite the community to join us in this journey as we enhance and protect our historic gem. Thank you for your support during this exciting project.
If you have any questions about the work during your visit, team members will be on hand to answer. Alternatively, you can email the office on wightwickmanor@nationaltrust.org.uk.
January 2024
We are now busy preparing for Phase 2, which we aim to start in April, working around the Easter Holidays. Phase 2 will see repairs to the stained glass windows in the Great Parlour, which will bring some interesting challenges. We plan to close some areas of the Manor whilst we remove collection items and install protection and scaffold, otherwise everything will remain as normal (and open) whilst the project continues.
Arts Council England is the national development agency for creativity and culture. Supporting the arts sector with funding from Government and the National Lottery.
Visit the De Morgan Gallery, a partnership with the De Morgan Foundation. ‘Look Beneath the Lustre’ looks at how Evelyn and William De Morgan were inspired to create art.
The garden at Wightwick is the perfect place for a walk after enjoying the delights of the house. Designed by Thomas Mawson, today it has something to see no matter what the season.
