Snowhill Manor is a manor house situated in the village of Snowshill, Gloucestershire, United Kingdom.
Manor House is the English equivalent of Polish noble manor houses, which once adorned almost every larger village. Unfortunately, while these Polish estates are either deteriorating or ending up in private hands as countryside residences or hotels, the English strive to keep their historical landmarks accessible to everyone. Many estates, at least partially, are open to visitors. One example is Stourhead House, where the entire ground floor is available for tours, while the upper floor remains private. Although the former owners transferred the estate to the National Trust, they ensured the right to continue using part of the house. This arrangement occasionally allows visitors to encounter a lord or another member of the English gentry in the spacious hallways.
One day, during a visit to Stourhead, we happened upon a gathering of vintage car owners. Dozens of Mercedes, Maybachs, and stunning Jaguars were parked on the lawn in front of the house. It was an indescribable sight, and the most fascinating part was that their owners turned out to be incredibly friendly and open people, eager to share their passion.
In the article below, I will tell you about the countryside estate of Snowshill Manor, the history of this extraordinary place, and its last owner, Charles Paget Wade, an eccentric collector who amassed an impressive collection of historic artifacts within the estate.
Snowhill Manor House – the story of a historic country house
Snowshill Manor House is a place that left a lasting impression on me, mainly because of its last owner—a man of passion and boundless imagination. The first time I visited this 16th-century estate, I found it so fascinating that I returned several times, and I will undoubtedly visit Snowshill Manor again in the future. This historic site is under the care of the National Trust, the organization responsible for preserving historic landmarks in the United Kingdom. The National Trust oversees hundreds of historic buildings, parks, forests, and even entire villages.
The history of Snowshill Manor began in the 16th century when the owner of the village of Snowshill decided to build a family residence on the site of a destroyed small castle. Its later fate followed a pattern similar to that of many other English noble estates of the time. To be honest, nothing particularly distinguished it apart from its picturesque location, as the house and village were once surrounded by dense, dark forests that, unfortunately, no longer exist today. At its peak, the English fleet was one of the largest in the world, and ships were built from wood, leading to the deforestation of almost the entire island. Then came the Industrial Revolution, and the remaining trees that had not been used for shipbuilding were burned in massive factory furnaces.
The fate of this somewhat forgotten estate changed when it found a new owner—Charles Wade—who came across it shortly after World War I. The place made such a strong impression on him that he purchased it without hesitation. The vast park, beautiful gardens, and rural house surrounded by numerous farm buildings enchanted Charles just as they did me when I first saw it.
Charles Paget Wade who was the eccentric owner of Snowhill Manor
Charles Wade was born in London in the late 19th century. His parents owned some sugar cane plantations and conducted business in India. They were quite busy and preoccupied with their affairs, so young Charles was sent to live with his grandmother, who awakened in him a passion for historical artifacts. She taught him that old objects were not just junk destined for the landfill of history, but valuable items that could reveal much about the times they came from.
His grandmother herself had a sizeable collection of silverware, dolls, and other treasures. Young Charles spent his entire childhood surrounded by relics of the past. More importantly, his grandmother meticulously explained the history behind each item in her collection, sparking in the boy an unrestrained imagination and insatiable curiosity. Not long after, Charles started his own collection with a small carved bone statuette of St. Michael. To buy it, he saved his pocket money for 16 weeks. From that point on, his passion only grew—after his grandmother’s passing, he inherited her collection and gradually expanded his own.
Meanwhile, he completed his studies in architecture. However, he was neither enthusiastic about academics nor particularly fond of working for a living. So when he inherited the family estate after his father’s death, he resigned from his job at the firm where he had been employed and dedicated the rest of his life to his true passion—collecting. Keep in mind that this was the early 20th century, a time before the internet, meaning that every artifact had to be tracked down through rumours and unverified stories. This was followed by a long process of searching, negotiating, and often waiting weeks before a rare find finally made its way into the collector’s home.
Collections collected by Charles Wade at Snowhill Manor
At Snowshill Manor, you can admire the vast collection of musical instruments from around the world, antique weapons, and machines and devices that have served people throughout the centuries. Many of these artifacts were meticulously restored by Charles and remain functional to this day. A prime example is a 17th-century printing press or a loom originating from distant Asia.
Beyond that, our protagonist gathered hundreds of rare books, paintings, toys, agricultural tools, and various memorabilia from famous figures. The collection also includes hundreds of small artifacts such as keys to old castles, knives, watches, and jewellery. However, what impressed me the most was the room dedicated to the ancient Japanese warriors—the samurai. Charles managed to acquire several original suits of armour, complete with the full equipment of the soldiers.
During my visit, the guide working at the estate shared a humorous anecdote related to this part of the collection.
Charles Paget Wade and the Samurai Armor
One day, Charles learned that an antique dealer in London had two original Japanese swords (katanas) for sale. Without hesitation, he jumped on a train just as he was, and after a few hours, he arrived at the cluttered shop, breathless with excitement. To his delight, the shop owner not only had the swords but also two full sets of matching samurai armour. Naturally, Charles Wade bought both on the spot and was so thrilled with his purchase that he refused to wait for the seller to have them delivered to his home in a few days.
With no better idea, he put on one full suit of armour, complete with a battle mask, slung the second suit and the swords over his back, and marched through London dressed as a samurai. His unusual appearance caused bewilderment and amusement among the city’s residents. Before he even reached the train station, he was stopped three times by the police, who demanded an explanation as to why a Japanese warrior was walking through a busy London street.
That was just the kind of person Charles Wade was—someone who would overcome any obstacle to acquire whatever had caught his eye.
Charles Wade and His Life at Snowhill Manor
Over time, Charles Wade’s collection grew so vast that he moved out of the main house into a small cottage in the garden to make room for even more artifacts. He called this little home “The Monk’s Hut” because its interior resembled that of a hermit’s dwelling. At its centre stood a large fireplace, the walls were adorned with various tools he used to repair and restore his finds, and the rest of his personal belongings were scattered in the corners.
One notable item inside was Charles’s favourite armchair, where he would sit and listen to the radio. Since his cottage had no electricity, the radio was battery-powered. A few times a week, he would walk to a nearby car workshop to recharge the battery.
In his sixties, Charles married the much younger daughter of a pastor, and together they continued expanding the collection. Toward the end of his life, they moved away from Snowshill Manor to his wife’s family home. Shortly before his death, Charles donated the estate, along with its surrounding land and his vast collection of artifacts, to the National Trust—the organization mentioned at the beginning of this article.
Thanks to this generous act, today, both you and I can admire the life’s work of the great eccentric that was Charles Wade. The house is surrounded by beautiful gardens, which, much like the estate itself, are filled with sculptures, sundials, and dozens of other fascinating artifacts.
Practical information
- Before you go, check that Snowhill Manor is open to the public at the time you plan to visit. The entire estate is often rented out for events or family and business meetings.
- Ticket prices are around £16.00 per adult and £8.00 per child.
- Family tickets are available for a slightly cheaper price (the above prices are a guide, not a guarantee).
- As always, we encourage you to purchase a National Trust membership card.
- Remember, if you cycle to Snowhill, you will get a free tea or coffee.
- The address of the estate is Snowshill, near Broadway, Gloucestershire, WR12 7JU.
Snowhill Manor information and interesting facts
- The house is shrouded in a certain mystery. People in the village say that Charles Wade collected more than just innocent, old objects. Supposedly, during his numerous travels, he gathered a large collection of forbidden and cursed objects.
- It is also said that he brought back from Arabia ancient journals, thanks to which one can summon a Djinn to grant wishes.
- In hidden collections somewhere under the oldest part of the house, there are supposedly books cursed by the church and objects used during black masses and severe exorcisms. We tried to talk to the employees of the Manor House about this, but their reaction was strange to say the least, and as mysterious as the rumours themselves were mysterious.
- Charles Wade met many famous people. He was often visited by the well-known writer Virigina Woolf and the writer John Boynton Priestley.
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