Earlier Houses: G.F. Bodley drew up plans to renovate and enlarge the square, stone, classical style 18th century house on the site, but, in the end, it was decided it would cost almost as much to repair the existing house as to build a new one, which was what was done in the 1880s. The ruins of the classical house, Old Hewell Grange, remain on the estate.

House & Family History: There has been a house owned by the Windsor-Clive family on the site since the 16th century, when Thomas Windsor Hickman purchased the estates of Bordesley Abbey as part of the Dissolution of the Monasteries. In the 1880s the 18th century classical style house (ruins of which remain today) was replaced by a huge Jacobean pile designed by Thomas Gardner for Viscount Windsor (after 1905 the 1st Earl of Plymouth of the second creation). During the late 19th century the new Hewell Grange became a center of the group called The Souls. Together with Clouds in Wiltshire, Hewell Grange was one of the primary meeting spots of this high-minded group who were concerned with philosophy, art, and literature. On April 23, 1913, Lord Plymouth hosted the Duke and Duchess of Argyll (sister of the late King Edward VII) at Hewell Grange. The exterior of the house, finished in pink Runcorn stone and built on an Elizabethan E-plan, was probably influenced in its design by Montacute House. The interiors are a riot of native British stones: Derbyshire alabaster on the walls, Frosterley marble for the columns, and decorative details in Penarth marble. The ceiling of Lady Windsor's Sitting Room is a copy in azure and gold of a ceiling of the ducal palace in Mantua. Newell Grange is noted for its spectacular Great Hall, an early Renaissance style room that occupies half the total space of the house. The 3rd Earl of Plymouth sold Hewell Grange in 1946, when it became a Borstal (school for undisciplined children); in 1992 the house was converted to HMP Hewell—an open prison. On October 16, 2019 the Ministry of Justice announced that HMP Hewell would close because its condition was ranked by inspectors as unacceptable and that refurbishing the house would cost too much. In March of 2020 the prison was closed and the buildings sold to a private corporation who plan to convert the house into an event space.

Collections: When the 3rd Earl of Plymouth sold the house in 1946 many of the contents were moved to Oakly Park, another family home that today remains a seat of the earls of Plymouth.

Comments: New Hewell Grange is frequently called the last Victorian prodigy house. The Great Hall is considered one of the great 19th century English interiors.

Garden & Outbuildings: The lake is listed as a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

Chapel & Church: The chapel contains ceiling carving by Detmar Blow and a marble and lapis floor by Farmer & Brindley.

John Preston (J.P.) Neale, published under the title of Views of the Seats of Noblemen and Gentlemen in England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland, among other titles: Vol. V, 1822.

Country Life: XIV, 240, 1903.

House Listed: Grade I

Park Listed: Grade II*

Past Seat / Home of: SEATED AT EARLIER HOUSE: Thomas Windsor Hickman, 16th century. SEATED AT CURRENT HOUSE: Robert Windsor-Clive, Viscount Windsor, later 1st Earl of Plymouth, 19th century; Windsor-Clive family here until 1946.

Current Ownership Type: Corporation

Primary Current Ownership Use: Unoccupied

House Open to Public: No

Historic Houses Member: No