Wilderhope Manor - History and Amenities

History and Amenities

Wilderhope Manor is a Tudor or Elizabethan period manor house, built of local limestone and dating from 1585 when England was enjoying a period of prosperity and stability. The house was built for Francis Smallman who built the house in 1585 – in fact his initials can still be seen on the ceilings. The manor remained in the family until 1734 when the estate including the neighbouring Wilderhope farm was sold. It is believed that the manor house was not used as a residence after the sale in 1734 and by 1936 was in a poor state and uninhabited. In 1936 the property was purchased by the WA Cadbury Trust who donated it to the National Trust on condition that it was used as youth hostel. Opening as a youth hostel in 1937, it has remained in continuous use by YHA ever since.

Despite years on disuse many of the original features such as the oaken stairways, oak spiral stairs and plaster ceilings survived. The adjoining stable block is itself a Grade II listed building.

The surrounding manor of Wilderhope is also managed by the National Trust and comprises wooded valleys, pasture, flower rich meadows and ancient hedgerows dating back centuries along unchanged field boundaries. Evidence of medieval ridge and furrow ploughing can still be seen in fields below Wilderhope Coppice.