PLACES & SPACES | ROOMS & GARDENS | CABANA MAGAZINE
Emma Becque steps into a storybook-like terrain to discover a series of fairytale cottages hidden within the picturesque woodlands on the Bradford Estates in Shropshire.
BY EMMA BECQUE | ROOMS & GARDENS | 13 AUGUST 2024
The tented blue room by Emma Ainscough at Charlotte's Folly © Taylor Hall O’Brien
Henry Hall’s Teddy Bear's Picnic rhyme comes to mind when wandering through the enchanting woodlands on the Bradford Estates in Shropshire. As the tale goes, "you're sure for a big surprise" at every turn and twist. Nestled within the 200-acre private pleasure grounds, formerly known as White Sitch, are a collection of fairytale lodgings: a pink folly, a relic boat house, and a Victorian Gothic cottage.
The little dwellings were commissioned by the Earls of Bradford, the sitting family at Weston Park in the late 1800s when landscaper Capability Brown was casting his magical touch. Today, the cottages' knack for hosting unforgettable countryside weekends continues thanks to the current Viscount and Viscountess Newport, Alexander and Eliza, who have undertaken authentic yet contemporary updates.
Left: Gothic-style cottage, Hansa; Right: Dusky-pink Charlotte's Folly inspired by the diary entries of the second Earl of Bradford. All images © Taylor Hall O'Brien
Charlotte's Folly was constructed in 1886 by Richard Charles Hussey as a quaint stopover from Weston Park. The three-bedroom cottage has been transformed into a retreat inspired by the vivid diary entries of Lady Charlotte, the second Earl of Bradford (1789-1865). Its dusky pink exterior and cozy interiors were born of a collaboration between interior designer Emma Ainscough and landscaper Tig Cameron-Goodman.
Inside, a highlight is the tented blue bedroom, wrapped in Folies Bergère wallpaper by Howe of 36 Bourne Street with woodwork in Farrow & Ball's Bay Area Blue. Bespoke fabrics frame the archway alcove surrounding the bed, where a starry chandelier by Vaughan lights the snug space. Down the corridor, another bedroom mirrors the garden view. Here, the walls are enveloped by Living Quarter's Creeping Toadflax wallpaper with accents coloured in Pea Green by Edward Bulmer.
A little further down the woodland path is the 1856 Victorian cottage Hansa, cast in a Gothic style. Originally built as a fishing and shooting folly for the Earls of Bradford - whose guests included Benjamin Disraeli, Sir Walter Scott, and Sir Edwin Landseer - it has been carefully restored and now serves as a charming rental with ornate plasterwork, cascading tapestries, and an ivy-entwined chandelier.
The Boathouse, crafted in 1812 by renowned landscape architect Capability Brown, remains a pristine example of lakeside architecture. This cherished structure, surrounded by a 20-acre lake, has served as a tranquil retreat across the centuries.
The personal reflections of Lady Charlotte Bridgeman from the 19th century enrich The Boathouse's past. Her diaries detail leisurely afternoons on the lake, strolls through nearby woodlands, and peaceful tea times by the water’s edge. She writes of one day, 6 February 1848: "A very rainy day. It cleared a little in the afternoon so we sallied forth & took a very dirty wet walk (but a very nice one in my estimation) round by the boathouse & through the wood & quarry. Much singing in the evening."
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