Wilderhope Manor
Encyclopedia
Wilderhope Manor is a country manor house
in the care of the National Trust
in the county of Shropshire
, England
, United Kingdom
.
some 7 miles south west of Much Wenlock
.
or Elizabethan period manor house
, built of local limestone
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/69335 and dating from 1585 when England was enjoying a period of prosperity and stability. The house was built for Francis Smallman who built the house in 1585 – in fact his initials can still be seen on the ceilings. The manor remained in the family until 1742 and few changes have been made to it.
The property is also a Youth Hostel and managed by the YHA
who lease it from the National Trust. It is therefore unfurnished and not lived in by an owner-resident.
The original oaken stairways, oak spiral stairs and plaster ceilings are of great value as rare survivors.
The surrounding manor
of Wilderhope is also managed by the NT and comprises wooded valleys, pasture, flower rich meadows and ancient hedgerows dating back centuries along unchanged field boundaries. Evidence of medieval ridge and furrow
ploughing can still be seen in fields below Wilderhope Coppice.
. His horse didn’t make it but Smallman survived thanks to an apple tree breaking his fall. Since then the ghosts of Smallman and his horse are said to appear in an area now known as Major’s Leap and have also been seen at the manor.
Manor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
in the care of the National Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
in the county of 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...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
Location
Wilderhope Manor is located on Wenlock EdgeWenlock Edge
Wenlock Edge is a limestone escarpment near Much Wenlock, Shropshire, England. It is long and runs from South West to North East between Craven Arms and Much Wenlock. It is roughly 330 metres high...
some 7 miles south west of Much Wenlock
Much Wenlock
Much Wenlock, earlier known as Wenlock, is a small town in central Shropshire, England. It is situated on the A458 road between Shrewsbury and Bridgnorth. Nearby, to the northeast, is the Ironbridge Gorge, and the new town of Telford...
.
History & Amenities
Wilderhope Manor is a TudorTudor style architecture
The Tudor architectural style is the final development of medieval architecture during the Tudor period and even beyond, for conservative college patrons...
or Elizabethan period manor house
Manor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
, built of local limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/69335 and dating from 1585 when England was enjoying a period of prosperity and stability. The house was built for Francis Smallman who built the house in 1585 – in fact his initials can still be seen on the ceilings. The manor remained in the family until 1742 and few changes have been made to it.
The property is also a Youth Hostel and managed by the YHA
Youth Hostels Association (England & Wales)
The Youth Hostels Association is a charitable organisation, registered with the Charity Commission, providing youth hostel accommodation in England and Wales...
who lease it from the National Trust. It is therefore unfurnished and not lived in by an owner-resident.
The original oaken stairways, oak spiral stairs and plaster ceilings are of great value as rare survivors.
The surrounding manor
Manorialism
Manorialism, an essential element of feudal society, was the organizing principle of rural economy that originated in the villa system of the Late Roman Empire, was widely practiced in medieval western and parts of central Europe, and was slowly replaced by the advent of a money-based market...
of Wilderhope is also managed by the NT and comprises wooded valleys, pasture, flower rich meadows and ancient hedgerows dating back centuries along unchanged field boundaries. Evidence of medieval ridge and furrow
Ridge and furrow
Ridge and furrow is an archaeological pattern of ridges and troughs created by a system of ploughing used in Europe during the Middle Ages. The earliest examples date to the immediate post-Roman period and the system was used until the 17th century in some areas. Ridge and furrow topography is...
ploughing can still be seen in fields below Wilderhope Coppice.
Ghosts and Major's Leap
Wilderhope Manor has a history of supernatural sightings dating back to the English Civil War. One of the Manor’s former owners was Major Thomas Smallman. He was a Royalist soldier who was forced to flee from Cromwell’s approaching troops. After managing to escape on horseback, Major Smallman took a do-or-die plunge down a steep slope at nearby Wenlock EdgeWenlock Edge
Wenlock Edge is a limestone escarpment near Much Wenlock, Shropshire, England. It is long and runs from South West to North East between Craven Arms and Much Wenlock. It is roughly 330 metres high...
. His horse didn’t make it but Smallman survived thanks to an apple tree breaking his fall. Since then the ghosts of Smallman and his horse are said to appear in an area now known as Major’s Leap and have also been seen at the manor.