Britain's Finest Baroque Church
Tomorrow's walk takes me to the heart of the Black Country. A nice coincidence that today's takes me to where the gentry spent their gains. Witley Court built by the Earl of Dudley - owner of the Gornal coal seams.
A very overgrown start to the walk - fields packed with geese suggesting that turkeys will be rather passé this Christmas. A new path up through Abberley School, with the views off the clock tower unavailable until we are a distance away. The trig-point a great vantage point.
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| Looking down on the school and clock tower from the Trig Point |
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| Ridge Walking on Abberley Hill |
Witley Court, once one of England’s great country houses, stands today as a dramatic ruin in the Worcestershire countryside. Originally built as a Jacobean mansion, it was transformed in the 19th century into an opulent Italianate palace by the Foley and later the Dudley family, surrounded by grand terraces, formal gardens, and spectacular fountains. In 1937, a catastrophic fire—believed to have started in the kitchens—destroyed much of the main house. The damage was never repaired, and the estate was abandoned, leaving behind a haunting shell of its former grandeur. Remarkably, the adjoining Church of St Michael and All Angels survived untouched. Built in the mid-18th century by architect James Gibbs and lavishly decorated by the Italian artists Giovanni Bagutti and Antonio Bellucci, the church is a rare example of English baroque design. Its richly adorned interior—complete with gilded stucco, elaborate ceiling paintings, and ornate decoration—makes it one of the finest baroque churches in the country.
And they've got a teashop. Running at London prices. £16 for two coffees and two slices of cake.
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| Open 12-3pm daily |
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| Look to the heavens |
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| The ruins - where you were free to explore in the 80s |
Walk Details
Distance - 6 miles
Geocaches - 1
Walk Inspiration - Jarrold 74, The Malverns to Warwickshire, Walk 24
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