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Packwood House Is a Grade I listed timber-framed Tudor manor house in Packwood on the Solihull border near Lapworth, Warwickshire. It has a wealth of tapestries and fine furniture, and is known for the garden of yews. The Fetherston family owned land at Packwood from the fifteenth through to the middle of the nineteenth century.
The house began as a modest timber-framed farmhouse constructed for John Fetherston between 1556 and 1560. In about 1570, William Fetherston built a new ‘great mancient howse’ which was later handed over to his son John in 1599. The house John inherited was tall, detached and nearly square in plan, with triple gables and a great brick cow barn to the north with further farm buildings to the east. The last member of the Fetherston family died in 1876.
In 1904 the house and Packwood estate of approximately 134 acres was bought at auction by Birmingham industrialist Alfred Ash envisioning it as a legacy for his son, Graham Baron Ash. He is reported to have said: ‘I bought it because the Boy wanted it.’
At the outbreak of war in 1914, Ash volunteered for the medical corps. From there, he was transferred to the Royal Flying Corps, but wrecked four aircrafts during his tenure. Eventually he served as a Balloon Observation Officer.
It was eventually inherited in 1925 by Graham who then spent the following two decades creating a house of Tudor character. He purchased an extensive collection of 16th- and 17th-century furniture, some obtained from nearby Baddesley Clinton, and the great barn of the farm was converted into a Tudor-style Great hall with a sprung floor for dancing. It was connected to the main house via the addition of a Long Gallery in 1931.
Packwood House stands as a testament to Ash’s meticulous vision and passion for preservation and restoration. It drove him to travel extensively, absorbing cultures and collecting treasures to adorn Packwood's halls.
His driving ambition to rid the old house of any trace of its Georgian and Victorian inheritance was in tune with the fashion of the times. The classical style of the eighteenth century and the dark, heavily furnished interiors of Queen Victoria’s reign were deeply unfashionable in inter-war England.
His dedication extended beyond mere aesthetics as he envisioned Packwood as a living history, where guests could experience the essence of Old England. Lavish parties, complete with theatrical productions and musical performances, brought the house to life, echoing its heyday as a social hub.
Adjacent to the house is a Yew Garden which is accessed by raised steps and a wrought-iron gate. The garden path follows an avenue of trees, which leads up a spiral hill. Some of the yews at Packwood are taller than 15m, despite the soil on the estate having high levels of clay. This cans be detrimental to the trees during wet periods and as a result, parts of the garden are often closed to the public while restoration work is undertaken.
On 30 June 1941, Graham Baron Ash donated £30,000 pounds to the National Trust along with Packwood, its collections, park and gardens in memory of his parents. The transfer of ownership came with stipulations including its meticulous preservation in his 'Memorandum of wishes', in order to safeguard it’s reputation as a restored symbol of Old England for future generations to come. Ash also stipulated that all furniture should be kept in the same position, that no extra furnishings should be added, and that freshly cut flowers should be placed in every room.
TOAL was from Packwood Lane that runs straight through the middle of the estate and is not owned by the National Trust. Parking is plentiful in their free carpark and refreshments and comfort breaks can be had, without having to buy a ticket, from their cafe. There was also a mobile refreshments van in their outside picnic area.
View and discuss this location in more detail on Grey Arrows.
Co-ordinates: 52.34805, -1.746405 • what3words: ///rising.sprinkler.cutaway
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