Posted by Following on from my post yesterday of an example of an arts and crafts garden, Hidcote Manor Garden, Wightwick Manor near Wolverhampton, is an example of an arts and crafts house. It was built by West Midlands industrialist Theodore Mander, and completed in two phases. The house you see today was completed in 1893. What is so exceptional about this house is not only its mock Tudor exterior but the William Morris interior. William Morris was an English textile designer known for his floral fabrics and wallpapers and typical of the arts and crafts movement. His designs are still popular today. While Wightwick features original wallpaper and fabric designed by Morris, he neither designed the furnishings specifically for the owners or ever went to the house. The Manders either ordered them through the Morris & Co catalog or bought them from his shop. The house was given to the National Trust in 1937 – barely 50 years after completion.
Fun Fact: The house was built for the new electric lighting – a novel thing and cutting edge technology in 1887 Wolverhampton.
Fun Tip: Wightwick is pronounced Wittick…
Info on the house can be found here and here. Info on William Morris can be found here.
BritTrip 