Photo: Rodmarton Manor by Robert Powell, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Rodmarton Manor is a Grade I listed historic house in Gloucestershire, and a member of Historic Houses. Read about its history, architecture and gardens, plus how to visit and what's nearby.
About Rodmarton Manor
Rodmarton Manor stands near Cirencester in Gloucestershire, built for the Biddulph family in the early twentieth century.
It ranks among the last great country houses raised in the Arts and Crafts style, with every stone, timber and fitting sourced and worked locally.
Three wings fold around a circular lawned courtyard, and the house carries a Grade I listing.
It remains privately owned and opens to visitors for the house and its gardens.
Read more on WikipediaHistory of Rodmarton Manor
Ernest Barnsley designed Rodmarton Manor for the Biddulph family, with work beginning in 1909. Barnsley died in 1925 before the house was finished, and his brother Sidney Barnsley, together with Norman Jewson, Ernest's son-in-law, completed the project between 1926 and 1929, with the final chapel phase finished in 1929. The house was occupied from 1915 during construction. Local craftsmen worked materials drawn entirely from the surrounding estate, down to the furniture built specifically for the rooms.
Architecture of Rodmarton Manor
The house is arranged in three wings angled around a circular courtyard, built in a thoroughgoing Arts and Crafts style. The east wing, originally servants' quarters, has since been converted into flats, while the central wing was used for community teaching rather than family living.
Worth knowing
The Arts and Crafts designer Charles Ashbee described Rodmarton Manor as the single best example of the movement. Crafts were taught within the house itself, and much of its furniture was commissioned and made locally rather than bought in.
Gardens & grounds at Rodmarton Manor
The southern gardens are divided by hedges into a series of outdoor rooms, with an extensive kitchen garden that once supplied much of the household's food.
Plan your visit to Rodmarton Manor
Nearest station: Kemble Rail Station (2.6 miles)
Open to visitors by invitation (guided tours); check official website for opening times and booking.
Places to visit near Rodmarton Manor
Windmill Tump
View Windmill Tump on heritage mapSt Saviour's Church, Tetbury
View St Saviour's Church, Tetbury on heritage mapAll Saints Church, Shorncote
View All Saints Church, Shorncote on heritage mapCirencester Amphitheatre
View Cirencester Amphitheatre on heritage mapHistoric places nearby
Within 5 miles of Rodmarton Manor there are 3 historic properties, including 1 historic building, 1 church and 1 historic house, across Churches Conservation Trust, English Heritage and Historic Houses sites.
Within 10 miles of Rodmarton Manor there are 17 historic properties, including 5 historic houses, 4 historic buildings and 4 churchs, across English Heritage, Historic Houses and Churches Conservation Trust sites.
Within 20 miles of Rodmarton Manor there are 57 historic properties, including 21 historic houses, 11 churchs and 11 historic buildings, across Historic Houses, English Heritage and Churches Conservation Trust sites.
Facts
A complete Arts and Crafts house built almost entirely from stone, timber and craft found within a few miles of its door.
- Type
- historic house
- Location
- Gloucestershire, England
- Visit duration
- 2 to 3 hours
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