After Croome Court passed out of the hands of the Coventry family it had several owners each leaving their mark as can be seen in different rooms around the house.
In 1921 the 9th Earl set up the Croome Estate Trust, in order to ensure that the 15,000 acre estate would be preserved. However, in 1939, fate and the tragic circumstances of the Second World War intervened. The 10th Earl having volunteered when war was declared, was killed in the retreat to Dunkirk. A whole new chapter began when, after the war was over, such houses were not longer viable and had to be sold.*
Initially the Croome Estate was sold to the Roman Archdiocese of Birmingham. The house was adapted to become a Catholic junior boarding school for disadvantaged boys who were taught by Nuns. This part of the house’s history lasted from the 1950s-1970s.
Croome subsequently became the headquarters for the Society for Krishna Consciousness. They provided a primary school for devotees and a worldwide centre for training students in Krishna Consciousness.
The house then became the base for various property developers until it came up for sale in 2004 when the Croome Trust were able to buy back the Coventry family’s ancestral home, whereupon they leased it to the National Trust for 999 years.
*Introduction to the National Trust Handbook of Croome (George Coventry, 13th Earl)
Source of information – National Trust Handbook of Croome
Wow – such detail in the ceiling.
The is a lot of detail. The colours were changed when the Society for Krishna Consciousness were in residence. This is why the colours are so bright.
the details on the ceiling are very eye catching. the place looks spacious and the grounds sprawling, i can imagine it would take substantial effort to keep up this place.
Yes I bet it was very expensive to run in its day.
The ceiling is amazing. Interesting history to the house – it is one on my ever growing list of places to visit!!
The ceiling and walls are very detailed.