Featured in Architecture – The British Isles (26/8/11)

Witley Court is managed by English Heritage

Built in 1655 by Thomas Foley, the orangery is part of the Witley Court estate, Worcestershire, which was partly destroyed by fire in 1937. It was owned at the time by Sir Herbert Smith, a carpet manufacturer. When the insurance company refused to pay out, anything of value was sold or stolen and Witley Court was allowed to fall into ruin. Eventually, it was bought for £20,000 in 1953 by the Wigington family of Stratford on Avon. It has been managed by English Heritage since 1984 and, while a great deal of time and money has been spent on landscaping the grounds, no attempt has been made to restore the interior of the Court.