Croome Park and Court

Sphinx, Croome Court

Date	1 June 2011
Location	Croome D’Abitot, Worcestershire	SO 88501 44578; 52.09941°N, 2.16928°W
Information	Croome was home to the Coventry family since the 16th century and in 1751 Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown began creating a landscape park and mansion house there for the 6th Earl of Coventry. This was Brown’s first landscape design and his first major architectural project. Robert Adam designed some of the interiors of the house and also many of the park’s follies. James Wyatt was brought in to complete Adam’s work following the latter’s death. Adam’s design of the Temple Greenhouse included underfloor heating and huge glazed sash windows. This housed the 6th Earl’s collection of exotic plants. In the 19th century Croome had over 5,000 species of plants and trees from all over the world. In the 1940s Croome Estate was far larger than it is today and during the Second World War it became home to RAF Defford, a base with 2,500 personnel which was involved in the testing of secret radar systems. The 10th Earl was killed in action in 1940 and in 1948 the Coventry family sold much of the estate including the mansion house, Croome Court. The restored Sick Quarters from the RAF base now serve as the park’s visitor centre. During the Second World War the Court was home to the Dutch royal family. From the 1950s to the 1970s it was a Catholic Boys School and in the 1980s a sanctuary for the International Society of Krishna Consciousness. It was purchased in 2007 by The Croome Heritage Trust. The National Trust acquired the Park in 1996 and have a ten year lease on the Court. They have been restoring the park and are managing the mansion while they raise money for its restoration. Croome (National Trust); Croome (Wikipedia)

Croome Court

Robert Adam's Temple Greenhouse with huge sash windows. An underfloor heating system was employed to keep the collection of exotic plants warm.

Central plaque depicting a wedding scene, Island Pavilion

Statue of Pan, god of sheep and shepherds, in the Evergreen Shrubbery