 Shugborough
On land once owned by the Bishop of Lichfield, where a modest medieval
manor house stood, Shugborough has grown into a vast 900-acre estate
with an 18th century mansion and a Georgian working farm. Today, as
the ancestral home of the Earls of Lichfield, it is still lived in by
the 6th Earl, but is better known as the home of the late photographer, Patrick Lichfield.
The transformation of Shugborough was largely due to the successes of a revered
18th century Admiral, George Anson, who left his fortune to his brother,
Thomas. But the real story begins in 1624 when William Anson, a successful
lawyer, purchased Shugborough manor house then standing in only 80 acres
of land. In 1695 his grandson, William, began building the new house and
acquiring additional land. Thomas Anson further extended Shugborough, and
continued to expand the estate following the death of his father in 1720.
By 1741 Thomas owned almost a quarter of the village, and by the time
of his own death in 1773 the Anson family controlled virtually the whole
of Shugborough, plus a vast area of Cannock Chase.
The next major phases of building work were carried out in the last years
of the 18th century and the early years of the 19th century. At this time
Shugborough was substantially enlarged and remodelled in an elegant neo-Classical
style, and further outbuildings were constructed on the estate. Extensive
work on the landscaping at this time dramatically altered the former appearance
of the village and its environs. Roads and rivers were diverted, buildings
flattened, new park entrances and drives were created, and rows of new
cottages were built for the villagers. Perhaps even more significantly
it was during this period that Park Farm complex was developed, consisting
of a massive 2000 acres of arable and grazing land.
Less than 35 years after
the huge successes Shugborough enjoyed by the 1st Viscount Anson,
the estate was in serious financial difficulties under his son Thomas.
Created the 1st Earl of Lichfield in 1831, this gentleman had to sell
the contents of his ancestral home and his London residence to pay off
his personal debts, but the heavy burden of Shugborough remained a problem
until the 3rd Earl took over the reigns. By the early years of the 20th
century Shugborough had been successfully restored and refurbished, and
the majority of the farm was let to tenants to reduce costs. From that
time to the present day the house has been regularly maintained and
is, once again, a delightful family home.
Internally,
the décor has a simplistic elegance that dramatically enhances
the classical features, and the ornate ceilings in many rooms are stunning.
With very few original pieces having survived the sale of 1842, Shugborough
now has remarkable collection of rescued artefacts and memorabilia sought
out by the 3rd Earl. Little of Thomas Anson's 18th century landscaping
is now evident, but the Chinese House built to store Admiral Anson's
porcelain still makes a lovely feature in the grounds. The 'Tower of the Winds'
monument, subsequently converted to use as a dairy in the early 19th
century, has been beautifully restored, and the 'Triumphal Arch' still looks very
impressive from a distance. |
