The imposing mansion of Attingham Park is one of the great houses of the Midlands.
The house was designed in 1782 by George Steuart for Noel Hill, later 1st Lord Berwick.
Steuart was commissioned to build a house that looked as magnificent as possible from the public road that passes it. The house was built with exceptional speed between 1783 - 1785 and consists of a main three-storey block with a classical portico rising to the full height of the building.
This is joined to pavilions on either side by colonnded corridors. Viewed from the road the facade stretches 400 feet from pavilion to pavilion. The house contains 80 rooms, which is a large number for a house of this period.
The interior of the house is impressive with chimney pieces, pier-glasses, scagliola columns in the hall and superb plasterwork ceilings in the rooms.
The Regency dining room has red walls with decorated panels picked out in gold. The 1st Lord had little time to enjoy his new residence for he died in 1789 at the age of 44.
The 2nd Lord Berwick had a collection of art amassed during his Grand Tour of Italy.
In 1805 he commissioned John Nash to build a picture gallery, one of the first in a country house. Nash filled in part of the courtyard to make the gallery and glazed the roof with the revolutionary use of a cast iron frame. Most of the original pictures were later dispersed following the 2nd Lord's bankruptcy in 1827.
The Italianate landscapes and copies of Old Masters that now hang in the picture gallery give an idea of the splendour of the 2nd Lord's collection.
Most of the paintings and furniture seen in the house were collected by 3rd Lord who was a diplomat in Italy for 25 years. He was responsible for the elegant drawing room which is filled with white and gold Italian furniture. Some of this furniture may have come from the Neopolitan palace of Napoleon's sister. The silver displayed in the old wine cellars was also collected by the 3rd Lord.
Attingham continued in the hands of the family until is was left to the National Trust in 1947 by the 8th Lord Berwick.
The 3,826 acres of parkland at Attingham slope down to the River Tern and are dotted with oak, beech, elm and pine.
The grounds were originally laid out by Thomas Leggett between 1769 - 1772. However, in 1797 Humphry Repton produced a Red Book for Attingham and the park now remains largely as was in the late 18th century when it was landscaped on Repton's advice.
Shop, tea room, playarea, walks.
2008:House: 13 Mar-26 Oct: 13:00-17:30 Mon-Tue & Thur-Sun; 27 Oct-2 Nov: 13:00-16:00 Mon-Tue & Thur-Sun. Tours when house open 11:00-13:00. Park: 13 Mar-31 Oct: daily 09:00-18:00 Mon-Sun ; 1 Nov-31 Jan: 09:00-16:00 daily. House Open Bank Hol Mons 11-17:00
Tel: 01743 708123 - Infoline Attingham Park Website
