Whitley Court Lakes, woods and children's garden, Worcestershire.

The Whitley Court Lake

 Part of Whitley Court is a less formal wood, with a

On the path through the wood

 large naturalistic lake, which supplies the Shawley
 Brook from it's cascade. A large clear path through
 the wood leads you along the brook, and you could
 happily imagine all is as nature intended, but if you
 look closely you realise that much of the planting,
 including the trees, are American species, imported
 in the 1870's and 1880's.

The giant spiders web in the wilderness garden

Willow Nessies

In the 1990's a wilderness garden was developed to showcase native trees and plants. This area is being developed for children, and already boasts a giant spider and to willow "Loch Ness Monsters".

This year two beautiful wooden play areas have been built. One is for young primary age children and the other for older junior age children. They are due to be opened very soon.

The younger children's play area

Tea time special

Outside area

 Normally I don't advertise shops etc. The Garden Tea Room is just opposite the Great Whitley church, and despite it being the Easter holidays, (although I will give it that the day was quite cold) there were only two families eating. This is a great shame as the prices were very reasonable and the food was good. All the cakes and things were homemade and both I and those with me really enjoyed our food. We had a couple of cream tea's, and the scones were light and delightful, someone had the Victoria sponge and said it was good. I had the lemon drizzle cake and it was light and moist and perfectly lemony. Best of all they made proper tea, in a proper ceramic tea pot. Lovely.

Some of the cakes

Indoor dining area

Conservatory area

One of the flowers in conservatory

St Michaels & All Angels Church, Great Witley, Worcestershire.

Exterior with dome and clock

From the outside Whitley church doesn't really look all that special. It seems very much to be in keeping with the house, but the gold dome and clock, although beautiful, don't scream special.

Inside is a different story. The church was built with the monies and ideas of the Foley family, and so it much more so than the old photographs, highlights just how sad the lost of their home to the fire was. It must have been just as beautiful.

The church has one of the countries, if not the worlds, finest 18th century interiors. These photographs only hint at the great beauty. Everything is so ornate, a delightful mix of Baroque and Rococo styles. The work has been done by some of the finest artisans of the time, in every case. Paintings, carvings, glass, nothing has been scrimped on. The Foley family certainly had style and an eye for beauty.

The alter view

 The painted panels are by the great painter Antonio Bellucci.
The ornate wooden pulpit was the work of the sculptor James Forsyth, whilst the magnificent marble font is the work of his brother William Forsyth, and are my particular favourite. Between then the lectern and all the pews were carved.

Main fresco

Pulpit detail

One of the marble angels supporting the font

Foley family memorial

The many stained glass windows were the work of Joshua Price, who worked on them between 1718 and 1721, and they are considered to be the best collection of his work in existence.

The influence of the great tour may never have borne quite so much fruit anywhere else, bar the once great home, unfortunately lost to fire.

Small fresco detail

One of the stained glass windows

View from alter, showing font, ornate organ and balconies

View from one of the balconies

Whitley Court ruins and fountains.

The Perseus and Andromeda fountain

Detail in the ceiling of one of the formal garden follys

Inside the ruins dining room

 Today I visited Whitley Court, near Worcester. Once home to the Foley and Dudley families, but now in the care of English Heritage, the ruins and fountains are well worth a visit.

A fire in 1937 destroyed the internal decor and much of the inner structure of the once great country house. The beautiful exoskeleton that remains still appears complete from a distance. The damage in someways gives the house a fairy-tale shadowy dream like feel. When you enter the ruins the rooms seem surprisingly small when you compare them to the surviving photographs of the once ornately decorated grandure. Perhaps it is this incongrulousness which makes it seem unreal, and you are an overly large Alice figure.

The ruins sit in formal gardens, designed by William Andrew Nesfield and built under Samuel Daukes. Within these are two magnificent fountains. The fountain of the goddess Flora, with her four worshiping tritons, like the house is a magnificent relic, (though hopefully one that maybe restored).

The great fountain depicting Perseus and Andromeda was restored to fully working order in 2002. During the season, (Easter to early Autumn), the fountain performs a twenty minute "show" on the hour, (except at one o'clock).

Dining room as was.

The Perseus fountain mid "show"

Flora's fountain with house behind

House ruins with gold dome of nearby church visable

Inside the ruin

The view from one of the follys

Fountain detail