Bicester Trip and Snowshill Manor

 Having already visited two National Trust properties (Chastleton House and Waddesdon Manor) on our long weekend trip to Bicester, we went for the hat-trick by stopping off at Snowshill Manor & Garden on the journey home.

Photo 1: Snowshill Manor (September 2024)

The manor (village and land) dates back to at least 821 CE/AD when it was gifted to Winchcombe Abbey by the King of Mercia. In the Domesday Book (1086 CE), Snawesille was valued at £5 and included 12 villagers, 2 smallholdings, 6 slaves and 72 oxen (or 9 plough teams). After the Dissolution of the Monasteries (1539), it became Crown property and was included in the dowry to Henry VIII's sixth and last queen, Catherine Parr in 1543. It is around this time that the current building was established.

Several owners later and following a 150 year period of farm tenancies, the house and grounds were purchased by Charles Wade in 1919. Wade was an inveterate collector of artefacts and he made numerous additions and modifications to Snowshill Manor to house his collection. The eclectic collection of over 22,000 items include Samurai armour, bicycles, carriages, musical instruments, and much more.

Photo 2: Some of the Many Musical Instruments on Display at Snowshill Manor

Wade also had a workshop on-site where he constructed models houses, boats, etc. In the gardens, you will find an example of his craftemenship at Wolf's Cove, a model fishing village ...

Photo 3: Wolf's Cove at Snowshill Manor

The gardens comprise a series of garden rooms and are sizeable but not extensive; there is an orchard and kitchen garden as well as more floral displays. 

Photo 4: Garden View from the Workshop (Snowshill Manor)

There is an excellent cafe/tearoom at Snowshill. We had a really tasty curried cauliflower pastie. There are toilets at reception and the Manor. It is a 500-yard walk from the car park/reception to the Manor along a smooth, but at times steep, path. We took the golf buggy to the Manor and walked back to the Car Park.

The house has several storeys accessed by stairways that you need to consider if you have accessibility issues. The garden has uneven paths and quite a few steps.

The Priest's House and the Workshop are also worth a visit.

The Wade family owned sugar plantations in St Kitts and Charles spent his time between Snowshill and St Kitts. Previous generations of the Wade family had slaves and were recompensed for their 'loss' following the abolition of slavery in 1833. Charles Wade never owned slaves but obviously benefitted financially from the slave trade practised by his ancestors. The National Trust does not hide this fact though it doesn't advertise it either.