Packwood House Packwood House is a 16th Century house about 7 miles North-West of Warwick. Packwood House is 2 miles from Baddesley Clinton Manor House. Both houses are owned by the National Trust, and you can buy a combined ticket for entry to both houses. Packwood House was home of the Featherstone family from 1598 to 1869. It was bought by Mr Alfred Ash, and subsequently given to The National Trust in 1941, by his son, Graham Baron Ash.

The property is also noted for its gardens. The gardens are not as grandiose as Hidcote and Kiftsgate, but still very attractive. There is a small walled garden by the house (near the house at the right of the picture above), and a large lawn, with borders (at the left in the picture above), and also a large informal lake. Running along the far side of the lawn is this raised walkway with flower borders.

The garden has a lot of attractive brickwork - brick walls, brick arches, fine gates, and 4 brick gazebos.

A curious and conspicuous feature of the property is the large number of sundials and clocks which are on many of the walls. These date from the 17th Century. These are quite attractive features, but as you walk round, and discover more and more of them, you do wonder why the owner had this eccentric interest.

There is nothing in the house Guide Book to explain the significance of all these timepieces. Sir Roy Strong has claimed that sun-dials have a religous significance. Writing about 17th century gardens in general, he says: The development of gardens in the 17th century connects with the desire for the contemplative life. One cleric wrote to Ralph Austen, who published a book in 1652 The Spiritual Use of a Garden: "I seldom come to your garden but that you made your trees speak to me of Christ and the Gospels". What the garden spoke about most powerfully was time. And the object which precipitated these thoughts was the sun-dial. One garden which is full of this kind of sun-dial, and which still survives is Packwood House, Warwickshire.

Beyond the raised walkway lies a further garden.
This garden contains a collection of around 30 large clipped yew trees. This is a very impressive feature, though not a garden that you would appreciate in any conventional sense. These are large trees, requiring considerable maintenance, even difficult today, with a hydraulic lift and power tools. Again you wonder why the owner went to the trouble to build such an unusual feature.
Roy Strong gives the explanation: the 2 dozen yews in the foreground symbolise the Multitude; at the far end are two rows of larger trees symbolising the 12 Apostles and the 4 Evangelists; and on a raised mound beyond them is The Master of the Temple. This is one of the few authentic examples (possibly only example) of what Roy Strong calls "Religous emblematic horticulture".

"I seldom come to your garden but that you made your trees speak to me of Christ and the Gospels"

National Trust - Admission details

Packwood House is 2 miles from another National Trust property, Baddesley Clinton Manor House. You can buy a combined ticket (at either house) for admission to both properties. Also visit my pages about two other local gardens Hidcote Manor (shown here), and Kiftsgate Court. There are some pictures of the hamlet of Packwood, including some more views of Packwood House, on the Packwood page.

Heart-of-England Main Page Be sure to visit the Heart-of-England Main Page. This site has photos and details of many gardens, towns, villages, churches and other attractions in the area, that you will also enjoy visiting.

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