| Description | Witley Court in Great Witley, Worcestershire was bought by the trustees under the will of John William, 1st Earl of Dudley from the Foley family in 1837. Though Witley was first leased to Queen Adelaide (widow of William IV), the palatial mansion became the main home of the Earls of Dudley from 1851. No expense was spared at Witley: it evolved into a fashionable Italianate mansion, inspired by Queen Victoria's residence on the Isle of Wight. Visitors to the Earl of Dudley at Witley included the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) and his wife Alexandra.
Witley Court was sold in the 1920s by William Humble Ward (1867 - 1932), 2nd Earl of Dudley, after the death of his wife, Rachel, Lady Dudley. The mansion, which is now a ruin, is maintained by English Heritage and open to the public. |