Attingham Park

We leave our accommodation in Church Stretton and drive up towards Shrewsbury, turning off to visit the National Trust owned Attingham Park, comprising grand Georgian Mansion, historic stables, and extensive grounds (640 acres).

A large house called Tern Hall (named after the River Tern passing close by) occupied the site originally; a larger and grander mansion was built around it in 1785 for Noel Hill, the 1st Baron Berwick, who renamed it Attingham Hall. His son Thomas, the 2nd Lord Berwick, went into financial ruin, but his brother William, the 3rd Baron Berwick, did a better job and filled it with his collection of Italian Art and Furniture. During WWI, Thomas, the 8th Baron Berwick, leased it to a Dutch-American family who used the hall as a hospital, and in WWII, the grounds were used for the Women's Auxiliary Air Force. Attingham Park was gifted to the National Trust in 1947 by Thomas as a bequest in his will.

We visit the mansion, followed by the stables courtyard and the walled garden, and then explore the grounds using a combination of the 4 walks described on the leaflet (Mile walk, Woodland walk, Deer Park walk, and WWII walk) to see the whole of the accessible parkland area (see captions on photos for details).

It's been a lovely visit in good weather. After that, it's back home!Læs mere