Arbury Hall and Estate

Arbury Hall, originally built on the ruins of a 12th century Augustinian Priory, now stands in the midst of beautiful 18th century landscaped gardens and surrounded by over 100 acres of lakes and parkland, and has been the home of the Newdegate family for over 400 years.

This beautiful  Elizabethan mansion house was transformed into the Gothic style by Sir Roger Newdigate during the second half of the 18th century. The exterior is entirely encased with stone and each aspect of the building presents a separate design of stunning architecture.

The elegant interior rooms feature spectacular displays of soaring fan vaulted ceilings with plunging pendants and filigree tracery, a breathtaking and complete example of early Gothic Revival architecture.

The Estate comprises not only the Hall, park and immediate surrounding farms, but includes a mixed portfolio of let residential properties including the majority of Astley village, and a commercial estate. The Estate also includes Astley Castle and Manor which adjoined the original Arbury Estate.

Gardens

Arbury Gardens cover approximately 20 acres. Some of this, especially in the vicinity of the Hall, is easily accessible in a wheelchair, but some of the gardens are only passable on foot and there are steep uneven slopes.

Ground conditions can also determine access - grass may become soft in wet weather. 

The ground floor of the Hall is accessible to wheelchair users by the use of ramps. The Gallery on the first floor is not accessible to wheelchair users.

George Eliot

Mary Ann Evans, better known as George Eliot, was born in 1819 at South Farm on the Arbury Estate, where her father was for many years the agent. Several of her novels have as their setting, the Warwickshire countryside that she had known in her youth, in particular the Scenes of Clerical Life, which were first published in 1857.

Cheverel Manor, which figures so prominently in this series of novels, is Arbury, and Sir Christopher Cheverel, its benevolent and cultivated owner, is Sir Roger Newdigate.