THE SHUGBOROUGH ESTATE

Set on the edge of Cannock Chase, the Shugborough Estate is the magnificent 900 acre ancestral home of the Earls of Lichfield. The Estate stands testament largely to the efforts of two people. Thomas Anson (1695-1773) enlarged the mansion, landscaped the parkland and commissioned the building of a remarkable collection of neo-classical monuments. The finances for such an ambitious project largely came from his brother George Anson (1697-1762). A naval officer, he acquired fame and fortune by capturing a Spanish treasure galleon and later became First Lord of the Admiralty.

Originally built in 1693 the mansion has been greatly altered by successive generations of the Anson family. Between 1745 and 1748 the house was extended to feature splendid rococo plasterwork by Vassali and further improved towards the end of the 18^th century by the well-known architect Samuel Wyatt, including the addition of eight ionic columns forming the grand portico. Fine collection of eighteen century ceramics, silver, paintings and French furniture decorate the rooms. The ‘Lichfield at Home’ exhibition gives an insight into the photographic work of the present Earl and reveals an unusual array of personal and family memorabilia.

The Shugborough landscape features eight monuments of great importance in the evolution of English architecture. The work of Thomas Wright of Durham and James ‘Athenian’ Stuart, they were built during the mid - eighteenth century and mainly reflect the English landowner’s admiration of classical architecture, fashionable at that time.