A Masterpiece of 'Jacobethan' Revival
While the ruins of the Old Hall still smoldered near the lake, the 14th Lord Windsor poured his fortune into the higher ground. The new mansion, completed in 1894, was intentionally designed as a **"Prodigy House"**—a term used for grand Tudor palaces built to impress royalty. Architect **Thomas Garner** drew inspiration from Montacute House in Somerset, using Runcorn Red Sandstone to create a structure that looked centuries old from the moment it was finished.
The Italianate Interior vs. The English Shell
Inside, the house was a clash of cultures that mirrored Lord Windsor’s refined tastes. While the outside was English Jacobethan, the interior was decorated in a **Quattrocento Italian style**. * **The Great Hall:** This was the heart of the home, taking up nearly half the entire house’s volume. It featured a massive marble fireplace and a musicians' gallery. * **Artistic Patronage:** The house became a gallery for Italian Renaissance art, Flemish tapestries, and sculptures that Lord Windsor collected during his travels as Trustee of the National Gallery.
1905: The Royal Seal of Approval
In 1905, two major events solidified Hewell's status. First, the Earldom of Plymouth was revived, and Robert George Windsor-Clive became the **1st Earl of Plymouth**. Second, **King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra** arrived for a formal royal visit. The King, a known lover of luxury, was particularly impressed by the house’s modern innovations, including **hydraulic lifts** powered by the estate's water tower and some of the earliest private electrical lighting in the country.
The French Garden
A formal French-style garden was laid out to the south of the mansion, featuring intricate parterres and classical statues, many of which are now Grade II listed in their own right.
High Tech Estate
The estate was almost entirely self-sufficient, with its own gas works, water pumping station, and an indoor tennis court (a rare luxury in the 1900s).
| Year | Event | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| 1894 | House Warming | The family officially moves into the completed mansion. |
| 1902 | The Maze | A hornbeam maze is planted near the top of the grass terraces. |
| 1905 | Earldom & Royalty | Revival of the Plymouth title and visit by Edward VII. |
| 1913 | Princess Louise Visit | Princess Louise (the King's sister) stays at the Grange. |
The End of the Long Summer (1914)
By 1914, Hewell Grange was at its absolute peak, employing over 40 domestic staff and hundreds of estate workers. However, the declaration of war in August 1914 brought a sudden, tragic end to the Edwardian "Long Summer." The Earl’s own son, **Lieutenant Archer Windsor-Clive**, was killed in action in 1914 during the first months of the war, a blow that mirrored the heavy losses felt across the entire Hewell estate as its young men went to the front.
1900–1903: The Great Terraces
Perhaps the most ambitious landscaping project in Worcestershire’s history took place between 1900 and 1903. Lord Windsor ordered the creation of **eighteen grass terraces** that stepped down 650 yards from the water tower at the site’s highest point all the way to the lake. This massive earth-moving feat created a dramatic "cross-axis" that perfectly aligned the house with the valley below.