DiCamillo Companion
England

Spetchley Park (Spetchley Hall)

Spetchley

Worcestershire

England

Circa Date: 1811

Status: Fully Extant

House Open to Public: Grounds Only

Country House: Yes

This house has been used for TV and Film Historic Houses Member

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 hosue 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.

  • Architect: John Tasker

    Date: Post 1811
    Designed: House

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  • 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

  • "Castle in the Country" (2008 - BBC TV documentary series, episode 4.11, the gardens). "Stately Homes At War" (2012 - TV documentary). "Father Brown" (2015 – TV series, as the home of Sir Raleigh Beresford in the episode "The Curse of Amenhotep"). "Father Brown" (2015 – TV series, as the exterior of Lady Felicia's home in the episode "The Judgement of Man").

  • 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: http://www.spetchleygardens.co.uk

    Historic Houses Member: Yes

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