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Short Break in South Warwickshire with Gillian Hull
I recently had a return visit to the area we left over eight years ago, when we fulfilled a long-held dream and came to live in Highland Perthshire. Here in the Tay Valley every village appears to have new houses under construction.
By contrast I found, to my surprise, that the timeless, stone-built villages on the Warwickshire/Oxfordshire border seemed remarkably free of newly built properties. It is, I was told, a very different picture in the communities closer to Birmingham. I picked a weekend when the gentle hills of South Warwickshire were bathed in autumn sunshine; this brings out the rich colour of the Hornton stone which, for centuries, has been widely used in the area’s buildings.
Before our move north, a weekend walk sometimes took us to the parkland surrounding Compton Verney, an empty mansion a few miles from where we lived. Vacated in 1921 by the Verney family after nearly 600 years of ownership, we watched the slow deterioration of the present house as an owner, who purchased it in 1958, did nothing. |
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Shuttered and silent, its park overgrown, the property’s fate seemed doomed. Finally, in 1993 came the promise of resurrection when it was purchased by philanthropist, Peter Moores and the Foundation named after him.
In Perthshire one of our favourite walks is the beech avenue beside the river at Taymouth. Similar thoughts to those we had regarding Compton Verney would go through our minds as we gazed at the Castle, wondering about the future of such a colossus. Today it is assured, as renovations are in progress to transform it into one of the world’s luxury hotels. Though there may be some objections to such a fate, the building will survive and the fine 19th century craftsmanship in the interior will be enjoyed by its many visitors.
The present house at Compton Verney, home of the Willoughby de Broke family, was built in the 18th century at a time when some of the greatest names in architecture were active throughout Britain, and three of them left their mark on Compton Verney.
Robert Adam completed his plans for the house by 1768, while ‘Capability’ Brown was responsible for the designed landscape and creation of the lake from a chain of pools. Visitors cross an elegant 1770 bridge, the design of either Adam or Brown! ‘Capability’ Brown was certainly responsible for the ‘new’ chapel, which is still under restoration.
Medieval stained glass, once at Compton Verney, is now in Glasgow in the Burrell Collection. The beautifully proportioned stable-block, now converted into flats, was by James Gibbs, a talented Scot who carried out most of his work in England.
Compton Verney opened as an Art Gallery in March 2004, with many examples on display from Peter Moores’ extensive collection. Money has also been set aside for the building’s maintenance and for new acquisitions. There is a very varied permanent collection, which includes Italian art, early German paintings and sculpture, Chinese Bronzes, British portraits, and an unusual collection of British Folk Art. The interior has been cleverly converted, retaining as far as possible Adam’s original features. With visiting exhibitions, an attractive restaurant and shop, and 120 tranquil acres in which to wander, it is well worth visiting if you are in the area.
With so many great houses in Britain, it is inevitable there will be question marks over the future of some. I was delighted to visit one which has been successfully saved and found a new role as a gallery, in the country between Warwick and Oxford. Nearer to home we shall watch with interest the restoration and development of the Taymouth Castle project.
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