#Treasure #trove #country #house #Fellows #Antique #Collecting
A treasure trove of items was recently uncovered at a historic country house just outside of Droitwich, Worcestershire. High Park is a late 18th century property set in over 30 acres of practically unspoilt countryside, the land itself was once owned by Katherine of Aragon. After the late owner passed, Fellows Auctioneers were charged with the task of sorting through the items left behind. At the estate, Fellows found a treasure trove of antiques, art, and silver which now make up much of their upcoming Country House auction.
Treasures Found at High Park
When the Fellows team arrived at High Park, they were greeted with rooms full of stunning antiques, fine art, sculpture, furniture, and jewellery. The late owner had been an avid collector and had amassed a huge number of beautiful pieces from carriage clocks to 19th century portraits. These treasures lay untouched for decades until the Fellows team uncovered them, revealing fantastic pieces of art and beautiful antiques.
History of High Park
Long before High Park was built, the land, the park, and the estate passed through many hands and many important families. The earliest reference to Salwarpe dates to 817, however, the history gets particularly interesting during the Tudor period where in 1501 the land and estate were given to Katherine of Aragon for her marriage to Prince Arthur. She held it until her death whereupon it was bought by John Talbot in 1546. From then on, Salwarpe, the land and estate became the historic seat of the Talbot family.
In 1738 Philip Gresley bought the land from the Talbots. It is believed that he built High Park, as a datestone on the house reads: “Gresley 1793”. Philip Gresley was the first person to live at High Park, and the first person to associate the title Lord of the Manor with the estate. After Gresley passed, he bequeathed the estate to Robert Archibald Douglas who took the name Gresley.
After the Douglas family, the Hingley family bought the house around 1898. Lucy Hingley was a prominent member of the community as she was the founder of the Women’s Institute’s Salwarpe branch. In 1921, High Park was sold to the Dyson Perrins family, and in 1977 the estate was sold again, at auction, to its late owner.
