A family home
Although the art and design collections stand out, most of the items at Wightwick are, in fact, deeply personal. The Mander family left an archive full of letters and photos covering their whole lives.
Geoffrey Mander was very clear the house should remain a home and not become an art gallery, and he said as much in Parliament. Our artworks, therefore, are shown in a domestic setting. We maintain this theme by not placing labels next to items. Instead, information can be found in the catalogues provided in rooms.
When it was built the house was fitted with electric lighting, which was cutting edge for 1887. However, by today's standards the rooms are quite dark and, on a cloudy day, areas can feel a bit gloomy, so give your eyes a chance to adjust. To provide a little extra light, our volunteers are equipped with torches.
The house was also built with central heating, and many of the original radiators still work. However, we now heat the house more for the care of the collection than to stay warm. The heating helps combat high humidity levels, which can lead to mould growth.
Creating a Morris house
It often surprises visitors that William Morris never came to the house, nor did his company formally design for it. Instead, all the wallpapers, fabric wall coverings and soft furnishings were bought through the Morris & Co shop or catalogue.
Unlike the artwork, Morris & Co designs were included in the 1887 and 1893 buildings. However, they were much enhanced after the 1937 saving of the property, when Sir Geoffrey expanded the Manor's Morris collection (or 'Morrisania' as the National Trust's Historic Buildings secretary called it). This included sketches for Morris designs, as well as large items of furnishings, such as carpets and curtains.
Morris loved traditional dyes and colours, however they don't stand the test of time or exposure to light particularly well. We now control light levels very carefully in certain rooms. Unlike a watercolour or photograph you can't move wallpaper to a darker corner.