Spetchley, near Worcester
Worcestershire
England
Circa Date: 1811 w/20th century alterations
Status: Fully Extant
House Open to Public: Grounds Only
Country House: Yes
An 1819 engraving of the house from "Neale's Views of Seats"
Earlier Houses: There was an earlier house on the site that was destroyed to make way for the current house.
Built / Designed For: Robert Berkeley
House & Family History: Spetchley is built of Bath stone with an enormous portico of four unfluted Ionic columns. The interiors are restrained, though the hall has pairs of fine red scagliola columns. In his 2015 book, "The King's Private Army: Protecting the British Royal Family During the Second World War," Andrew Stewart revealed that, according a 1940 plan to be implemented if a German invasion of Britain took place, the royal family was to be evacuated to Madresfield Court, the prime minister's office would move to Spetchley Park, and the cabinet would be installed at Hindlip Hall, all three houses located near each other in Worcestershire. As an invasion never took place, Spetchley, in 1944, became a recuperation home for American pilots.
Collections: On December 11, 2019 Sotheby’s sold some contents from Spetchley.
Garden & Outbuildings: The Spetchley Estate includes 30 acres of notable gardens. The park contains a root house and an iron footbridge.
Chapel & Church: The Roman Catholic chapel is contained within the house in an apartment that spans the entire height, and most of the depth, of the house.
John Bernard (J.B.) Burke, published under the title of A Visitation of the Seats and Arms of the Noblemen and Gentlemen of Great Britain and Ireland, among other titles: 2.S. Vol. I, p. 13, 1854.
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: XL, 42, 1916.
Title: Burke's & Savills Guide to Country Houses, Volume II: Herefordshire, Shropshire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire
Author: Reid, Peter
Year Published: 1980
Publisher: London: Burke's Peerage
ISBN: 0850110319
Book Type: Hardback
House Listed: Grade II*
Park Listed: Grade II
Current Seat / Home of: Henry Berkeley; Berkeley family here for 400 years.
Past Seat / Home of: Robert Berkeley, 19th century.
Current Ownership Type: Preservation Organization
Primary Current Ownership Use: Other
Ownership Details: Owned by Spetchley Garden Charitable Trust
House Open to Public: Grounds Only
Phone: 01905-345-106
Fax: 01453-511-915
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://www.spetchleyparkestate.co.uk/
Historic Houses Member: Yes