The Library In The Moated Manor
Last Monday, as well as visiting Packwood House, I visited Baddesley Clinton. A moated manor with a library I fell in love with. Being less then a ten minute drive away, you could easily visit two National Trust sites in one day.
The Manor
Of course, there is more to the historical manor than the library. It was the home of the Ferrer family for over 500 years, quite a legacy! Built in the late 1500’s, it also became a safe haven for priests during Queen Elizabeth I’s reign. Known as “priest’s holes”, these hidden chambers were built into fireplaces, attics, staircases and even in the privies.
At Baddesley Clinton, one of the most notable builders of priest holes, Nicholas Owen, constructed three. The third hidden chamber was through a top floor entrance, where those hiding would need to scale down a rope into the sewer below. It is the only priest hole uncovered in the manor and was once used when several people hid for 4 hours when the house was raided.
The courtyard was very picture-esq
Walking around the manor, there are many paintings, trinkets and gorgeous architecture. The fireplaces were some of my favourite features. It’s amazing when you come across a piece from the 16th or 17th century, it sometimes feels like we lost a lot of those pieces to history.
Baddesley Clinton came to the National Trust in 1980, when Thomas Weaving Ferrers-Walker decided to “save the property for the nation”. Repairs and restorations started not long after, before it became open to the public. As you go through the upper floor of the manor, you come to one of the final rooms, the library. Which I fell completely in love with.
The Library
With around 3,000 books, the volunteer told us there was very little fiction. Although there was a great set of the works of Shakespeare. Most were reference books and genealogy books. I was in awe.
It is that huge catch 22 when it comes to restoration of books. There is no guarantee that you can keep them in good condition. But, if you could open them with little damage to scan and digitise them, you have the information for life. I know so many people who, like me, are researching their ancestry. For those with ties to the Ferrer family, or even neighbouring families, information in these books could be so useful.
I would highly recommend a visit to Baddesley Clinton. The volunteers were lovely and knowledgeable, as well as there being so much more to see and do that I did not cover in this post. If you want to learn more about what is there before making the journey, the National Trust Collection website will be able to help.
As always, thanks for reading..