Leaving the lovely Crown Inn, I went in search of Witley Court…
Witley Court was once of the great country houses of England, reaching its peak in the Victorian period when it was the setting for extravagant parties and royal entertainments. After a devastating fire in 1937, however, it became a spectacular ruin.
“The opulent Witley lifestyle was already a thing of the past when, on the night of 7 September 1937, the head keeper spotted flames spurting from the roof above the servants’ rooms in the south-east corner of the great house. Fanned by a strong wind, the fire spread rapidly downwards into the reception rooms on the main floor. By the next day, much of the house was a smouldering shell.” [Source: English Heritage website]
~ Bella
