Stokesay Court Museums

Stokesay Court is a magnificent late-Victorian mansion set within extensive grounds in the rolling South Shropshire countryside, with panoramic views across to Ludlow and the Clee Hills. It was built for John Derby Allcroft, a wealthy manufacturer, entrepreneur and philanthropist, who had made his fortune in the glove making business. Designed by Thomas Harris, the house was at the cutting edge of technology when it was completed in 1892, just six months before John Derby Allcroft's death.

Equipped with a large boiler and under-floor heating, the house was one of the first private homes in England to have integral electric light, powered by large lead batteries. Aesthetically, however, the house looks to the grandeur of the Victorian era. Behind the imposing Jacobean style faade with its Arts and Crafts detailing, lies a superb interior, notable for its English Oak woodwork that is at its most stunning in the central Great Hall. It is the grandeur of the architecture and attention to period detail that capture the eyes and imagination of Stokesay Courts visitors. The landscaped gardens and grounds contain a fountain, grotto, woodland walks and a series of pools connected by cascades, rills and steps where wildlife abounds.

Heron, kingfishers, newts, dippers and even otters have been spotted in and around the pools. During the First World War, Stokesay Court was used as an Auxiliary Military Hospital for convalescent solders, and in World War II it served as a boarding house for evacuated Sussex-based Lancing College and then as a Western Command Junior Leaders' School. Yet throughout all of this, the family continued to live there and the house has survived largely untouched to this day. Still a lived-in, private home, Stokesay is now probably best known for the 2007 award-winning film adaptation of Ian McEwan's best selling novel, Atonement, and its success has contributed considerably to the revival of the house. Many of the films artifacts remain on view in and around the house and a visit to Stokesay Court will draw you in to a world of both fictional drama and real history. Visitors can see the house and grounds on pre-arranged tours. These are often conducted by the owner. The house also provides a distinctive venue for both corporate and private events. Please visit our website www.stokesaycourt.com for further information and news or follow us on Twitter @StokesayCourt Group visits (minimum 20) by appointment only. Individuals may book on advertised dates.

Please see our website or email tours@stokesaycourt.com or telephone 01584 856238 for details. Please contact us direct for information on disabled access to Stokesay Court.