Magic and loss: Fisherwick Hall Orangery, a warning echoing down the generations, Image from Kate Gomez.
Kate Cardigan Gomez, irrepressible wonder behind Lichfield Lore has organised a walk and tour around the remains of the incredible Fisherwick Park estate with her other project, Lichfield Discovered – it takes place tomorrow, Saturday 27th September 2014.
The story of Fisherwick hall and park is remarkable – a reputedly handsome house built in the lowland of the north Tame Valley between Whittington and Elford by the Marquis of Donegal, the grounds were laid out beautifully by Capability Brown. Sadly, it was all lost to pay gambling debts when the whole estate was sold to the Howards of Elford a few short decades later, who ploughed up the grounds and felled the hall and most of its remnants.
However, some parts of the estate and grounds remain – an Orangery, gateposts at Hademore, landscape features… it’s a remarkable tale.
Kate has written lots about it..
She had this to say about the walk:
A reminder that this Saturday, 27th September 2014 at 2pm we have a walk at Woodhouse Farm just outside Whittington (WS13 8QG) for anyone interested in discovering the remains of the lost estate of Fisherwick Hall, one of Staffordshire’s most lavish but short lived country houses.
We recently took a walk around the site with an expert who was delighted at just how much of Capability Brown’s landscape, created for the Marquess of Donegall, has survived!
It’s also a fantastic wildlife haven so the autumn is a perfect time to visit and you can also buy meat and other produce while we’re there.
These events are increasing in popularity, and I can see why; this is a collection of dedicated but offbeat local history enthusiasts who really know how to make their subject engaging and entertaining. And it’s absolutely free to attend. What’s not to love?
Please do attend, it’ll be great fun!
These gateposts stand in Hademore, and were moved from nearby when the railway was widened. Note the commonality in design with the Orangery.
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Are you doing this walk again? I am a descendant of the Skeffingtons & the Chichester’s, who were Earls of Donegall. Regards, Sylvia
A good read. My wife and I visited Fisherwick many years ago. The Marquis of Donegall was the main land owner in Belfast. The name Fisherwick still lives on in Belfast with Fisherwick Place and Fisherwick Presbyterian Church. Just one wee point; The county (Donegall) is always spelt with one ‘L’ and the title with two. I think in your article, it is only spelt wrong once.