Weston Park
Encyclopedia
Weston Park is a country house in Weston-under-Lizard
, Staffordshire
, England, set in more than 1000 acres (4 km²) of park landscaped by Capability Brown
. The park is located 10 miles (16.1 km) north-west of Wolverhampton
, and 8 miles (12.9 km) north-east of Telford
, close to the border with Shropshire
. The 17th century Hall is a Grade I listed building and several other features of the estate, such as the Orangery
and the Stable block, are separately listed as Grade II.
, when it was held by Norman
Rainald de Bailleuil, Sheriff to Roger de Montgomery. The principal survivor of those distant times is the park which now forms part of the medieval deer park
and forest. The land was then held by the de Westons of Weston from whom it passed by inheritance to a branch of the Mytton family. Their heiress, Elizabeth Mytton married Sir Thomas Wilbraham and, through the Wilbraham's daughter Mary carried the property to the Earls of Bradford through her marriage to Richard Newport, 2nd Earl of Bradford of the first creation.
The house was built in 1671 for Lady Elizabeth Wilbraham
. Although it is often claimed that she was her own architect, there is no conclusive documentary evidence for this and it is most likely that the executant architect was William Taylor, who is known to have been at Weston Park in 1674. Lady Wilbraham was evidently an enthusiastic patron, however, and her heavily-annotated copy of Palladio’s book (I Quattro Libri dell'Architettura
) remains in the collection at Weston Park. The three storey twelve bayed south front of the House was originally the entrance front but alterations and improvements carried out in the latter 19th century for the 3rd Earl of Bradford of the second creation involved the movement of the main entrance to the east front.
In the eighteenth century, with the failure of the male line of the Newport Earls of Bradford, Weston was inherited by Sir Henry Bridgeman, 5th Bt., whose mother Lady Anne Bridgeman (née Newport) was a granddaughter of Lady Wilbraham. The Bridgemans were already substantial landowners in Shropshire and in Warwickshire but chose to make Weston their main seat. Sir Henry Bridgeman commissioned Capability Brown to landscape the park. He also employed James Paine to make alteration to the House and, in the park, to add a Roman Bridge and Temple of Diana—later described by the renowned architect as "my greenhouse at Weston".
. It is now in the care of the trustees of the Weston Park Foundation.
Unlike the rest of the estate the Granary is open all year round and is free to enter.
's daughter Mary, and the Princess Royal, who spent part of her honeymoon amid its gracious surroundings. More recently, the G8 Summit Retreat was held at Weston in 1998 with the heads of State or Government present including US President Bill Clinton and Russian President Boris Yeltsin and, since 1999, the grounds of Weston Park have been used as one of the sites of the annual dual-site Virgin
sponsored V Festival
, the other site being Hylands Park
in Chelmsford
.
The park also hosts the annual Midland Game Fair which takes place on the third weekend of September. The fair, which hosts traditional British country pursuits including working dog trials, fishing and animal husbandry, attracts up to 50,000 visitors from both Britain and Ireland.
Weston-under-Lizard
Weston under Lizard is a village in the South Staffordshire district of Staffordshire, England. It constitutes a civil parish with Blymhill, called Blymhill and Weston-under-Lizard....
, Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
, England, set in more than 1000 acres (4 km²) of park landscaped by Capability Brown
Capability Brown
Lancelot Brown , more commonly known as Capability Brown, was an English landscape architect. He is remembered as "the last of the great English eighteenth-century artists to be accorded his due", and "England's greatest gardener". He designed over 170 parks, many of which still endure...
. The park is located 10 miles (16.1 km) north-west of Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands, England. For Eurostat purposes Walsall and Wolverhampton is a NUTS 3 region and is one of five boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "West Midlands" NUTS 2 region...
, and 8 miles (12.9 km) north-east of Telford
Telford
Telford is a large new town in the borough of Telford and Wrekin and ceremonial county of Shropshire, England, approximately east of Shrewsbury, and west of Birmingham...
, close to the border with Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
. The 17th century Hall is a Grade I listed building and several other features of the estate, such as the Orangery
Orangery
An orangery was a building in the grounds of fashionable residences from the 17th to the 19th centuries and given a classicising architectural form. The orangery was similar to a greenhouse or conservatory...
and the Stable block, are separately listed as Grade II.
History
The land on which Weston stands was first mentioned in the Domesday BookDomesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
, when it was held by Norman
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
Rainald de Bailleuil, Sheriff to Roger de Montgomery. The principal survivor of those distant times is the park which now forms part of the medieval deer park
Medieval deer park
A medieval deer park was an enclosed area containing deer. It was bounded by a ditch and bank with a wooden park pale on top of the bank. The ditch was typically on the inside, thus allowing deer to enter the park but preventing them from leaving.-History:...
and forest. The land was then held by the de Westons of Weston from whom it passed by inheritance to a branch of the Mytton family. Their heiress, Elizabeth Mytton married Sir Thomas Wilbraham and, through the Wilbraham's daughter Mary carried the property to the Earls of Bradford through her marriage to Richard Newport, 2nd Earl of Bradford of the first creation.
The house was built in 1671 for Lady Elizabeth Wilbraham
Wilbraham Baronets
The Baronetcy of Wilbraham of Woodhey, Cheshire was created by James I on 5 May 1621 in the Baronetcy of England for Richard Wilbraham. He was a descendant of the ancient Cheshire family of Radnor who acquired Woodhey by marriage in the 14th century....
. Although it is often claimed that she was her own architect, there is no conclusive documentary evidence for this and it is most likely that the executant architect was William Taylor, who is known to have been at Weston Park in 1674. Lady Wilbraham was evidently an enthusiastic patron, however, and her heavily-annotated copy of Palladio’s book (I Quattro Libri dell'Architettura
I Quattro Libri dell'Architettura
I quattro libri dell'architettura is an Italian treatise on architecture by the architect Andrea Palladio . It was first published in four volumes in 1570 in Venice, illustrated with woodcuts after the author's own drawings. It has been reprinted and translated many times...
) remains in the collection at Weston Park. The three storey twelve bayed south front of the House was originally the entrance front but alterations and improvements carried out in the latter 19th century for the 3rd Earl of Bradford of the second creation involved the movement of the main entrance to the east front.
In the eighteenth century, with the failure of the male line of the Newport Earls of Bradford, Weston was inherited by Sir Henry Bridgeman, 5th Bt., whose mother Lady Anne Bridgeman (née Newport) was a granddaughter of Lady Wilbraham. The Bridgemans were already substantial landowners in Shropshire and in Warwickshire but chose to make Weston their main seat. Sir Henry Bridgeman commissioned Capability Brown to landscape the park. He also employed James Paine to make alteration to the House and, in the park, to add a Roman Bridge and Temple of Diana—later described by the renowned architect as "my greenhouse at Weston".
Weston Now
Weston, the House and 1000 acres (4 km²) of Capability Brown Parkland was gifted to the nation in 1986 by the 7th Earl of Bradford, with the support of the National Heritage Memorial FundNational Heritage Memorial Fund
The National Heritage Memorial Fund is a non-departmental public body set up under the National Heritage Act 1980 in memory of people who gave their lives for the United Kingdom....
. It is now in the care of the trustees of the Weston Park Foundation.
The Granary
The 1767 Granary building was restored in 2009 with support from the Heritage Lottery Fund and regional development agency Advantage West Midlands, it is now a farm shop and art gallery with a restaurant opening on Saturday May 1, 2010.Unlike the rest of the estate the Granary is open all year round and is free to enter.
Royal venue, summit venue & festival venue
Over the years, Weston has played host to many distinguished guests including King George VGeorge V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
's daughter Mary, and the Princess Royal, who spent part of her honeymoon amid its gracious surroundings. More recently, the G8 Summit Retreat was held at Weston in 1998 with the heads of State or Government present including US President Bill Clinton and Russian President Boris Yeltsin and, since 1999, the grounds of Weston Park have been used as one of the sites of the annual dual-site Virgin
Virgin Group
Virgin Group Limited is a British branded venture capital conglomerate organisation founded by business tycoon Richard Branson. The core business areas are travel, entertainment and lifestyle. Virgin Group's date of incorporation is listed as 1989 by Companies House, who class it as a holding...
sponsored V Festival
V Festival
The V Festival is an annual music festival held in England during the penultimate weekend in August. The event is held at two parks simultaneously which share the same bill; artists perform at one location on Saturday and then swap on Sunday. The sites are located at Hylands Park in Chelmsford and...
, the other site being Hylands Park
Hylands Park
Hylands House is a Grade II* neo-classical villa situated within Hylands Park a 232-hectare park south-west of Chelmsford in Essex in South East England. It is owned and operated by Chelmsford Borough Council.-History:...
in Chelmsford
Chelmsford
Chelmsford is the county town of Essex, England and the principal settlement of the borough of Chelmsford. It is located in the London commuter belt, approximately northeast of Charing Cross, London, and approximately the same distance from the once provincial Roman capital at Colchester...
.
The park also hosts the annual Midland Game Fair which takes place on the third weekend of September. The fair, which hosts traditional British country pursuits including working dog trials, fishing and animal husbandry, attracts up to 50,000 visitors from both Britain and Ireland.