Shelwick Court

Near Hereford, Herefordshire

Overview

The stone front of this sturdy farmhouse conceals the grandeur inside, including a medieval great chamber on the first floor. There is a six-bay open roof of massive timbers; big enough to hold everyone for both living and dining.

  • Dogs AllowedDogs Allowed
  • CotCot
  • Mobile signalMobile signal
  • Fire or StoveFire or Stove
  • Open SpaceOpen Space
  • Parking AvailableParking Available
  • BathBath
  • DishwasherDishwasher
  • MicrowaveMicrowave
  • ShowerShower

Beds 2 Single, 1 Twin, 2 Double

Sleeps
8
4 nights from
£684 equivalent to £21.38 per person, per night

A medieval great chamber, hidden within later alterations

The impressive first floor chamber has plenty of space for sitting and dining with friends and family. Spacious bedrooms are downstairs on the ground floor. For many years Shelwick Court had been falling down about the ears of an old farmer. It lies on the edge of a hamlet near Hereford, beside the long filled-in Gloucester & Hereford canal – made redundant, as so often, by the (still-active) railway and road built next to it. Although it has a respectable stone front of about 1700, which with some difficulty we restrained from falling outwards, and a staircase of the same date, this alone would not have justified our intervention. But concealed within the house on the first floor, and indeed made almost invisible by later alterations, lies a medieval great chamber.

Curiously relocated from elsewhere

This impressive room has a six-bay open roof of massive timbers, cusped and chamfered in the Herefordshire manner. What is more surprising still, this roof of about 1400 and the timber framing which holds it up has clearly been moved here from somewhere else. It looks important enough to have been a hall, but there is no trace of smoke-blackening, and it must have formed, it seems, the solar cross-wing to a really grand hall, perhaps on a nearby site. Whatever its origins, it is a rare interior, which has, very strongly, a life of its own.

Who lived in this hall house? We cannot say for certain. The manor of Shelwick belonged from the time of the Domesday survey to the Bishops of Hereford. There is no evidence that they had a manor house here, but perhaps there was a house for their steward, which would probably have been where the manorial courts were held, so the name Shelwick Court could have significance. Alternatively, the bishop may have granted the manor to someone else, who then built a house for themselves - though again there is no evidence for this. Either way, what survives is a pleasure to share, even for a short time.

Floor Plan

Reviews

5 stars
26
4 stars
9
3 stars
0
2 stars
0
1 star
0

Independent feedback based on 35 verified reviews.

Filter reviews
loading
Map & local info

Shelwick Court lies near the historic cathedral city of Hereford, a lively place with lots of restaurants, cafes and shops. Visit its museums, including the Cider Museum and the fascinating Old House.

Take a walk around Hereford itself and the surrounding area to discover many more places of interest.

Explore Longtown and Goodrich Castles and wander around the beautiful Weir, Brobury and Kentchurch Court Gardens, all about a half hour drive away from Hereford.

For more information on things to do during your stay at Shelwick Court, please see our Pinterest page. Discover local walks for dogs with our friends at Walkiees.co.uk, the dog walks community.

Please Note: The Landmark Trust does not take any responsibility and makes no warranties, representations or undertakings about the content of any website accessed by hypertext link. Links should not be taken as an endorsement of any kind. The Landmark Trust has no control over the availability of the linked pages. 

Clear directions
Essential info
What you need to know about this building
  • Yes. You are welcome to bring up to two dogs. A charge of £20 per stay is made for each dog.

    Please contact booking enquiries if you have an assistance dog, for which there is no charge.
  • Via a short driveway from the main road.
  • Hereford – 1.5 miles.
  • There are five / six parking spaces adjacent to the property.
  • There are electric night storage heaters and a solid fuel stove.
  • Fuel may be purchased and delivered under a private arrangement. Further details will be provided with your booking confirmation.
  • To check up-to-date mobile network coverage in the area, visit signalchecker.co.uk. Due to the location and structure of many of our buildings, signal strength may differ to those indicated.
  • The majority of properties do not offer WiFi but many now have mobile coverage. Facilities in some properties rely on WiFi to function and we are currently piloting guest use of WiFi at a few of our buildings. We are going to extend the pilot across more properties and review customer feedback in 2025.
  • The kitchen is fully equipped with all plates, cutlery, fridge etc.
    There is also an electric cooker, microwave and a dishwasher.



  • There are two bathrooms, one with a bath and the other with a free-standing shower unit.
  • The internal stairs are not particularly difficult.
  • There is a garden (not enclosed). Please note the unfenced pond.
  • Yes the property is near to a railway line.
Booking and Payment
  • If the weather is bad, please contact our booking office who will be able to tell you whether the Landmark is accessible. If the housekeeper can safely get to the building to prepare it then we consider that it is open and available for guests. However if we cannot undertake a changeover then we will do our utmost to transfer your stay to another Landmark, depending on what we have available. It may not be of a similar size or in the same part of the country as your original booking. If the building is accessible but the customer cannot travel due to poor weather in his/her local area then please be aware that Landmark will not provide a refund. However the customer may be able to claim on his/her own travel insurance. We recommend that all guests take out travel insurance when they first secure a booking.
  • We accept Maestro (if issued in the UK), Visa, MasterCard, direct transfer and sterling cheques drawn on a UK bank. Cheques should be made payable to the Landmark Trust except for Lundy stays and boat/helicopter tickets which should be payable to The Lundy Company Ltd. All payments must be in sterling.
  • The key arrangements will be included in the Further Infomation document which will be sent to you prior to your stay.
  • If your stay starts more than two months from the date you make the booking, you are required to pay a deposit of one third of the cost of your stay (or £100 per booking, if greater) at the time of booking. Camping on Lundy and The Bunk House at Llwyn Celyn must be paid for in full at the time of booking.
  • If you wish to cancel or change your booking, please contact our Booking Office on 01628 825925
  • At the moment we only accept payment in sterling.
  • Our housekeeper will leave the key in a suitable place, the details of which will be sent to you prior to your stay.
  • It depends. Some of our most popular Landmarks are booked up a long time in advance, but many can be booked at short notice. We will always have Landmarks free for the coming weekend so it’s always worth checking our availability list.
  • No, Landmarks are available to be booked for anyone.
  • No, all the information you need can be found on our website, although we’d like you to buy one anyway as it will be a pleasure to own!
Staying at a Landmark
  • Some of our Landmarks are suitable for people with disabilities or limited mobility. However, many Landmarks have steep or narrow staircases, uneven floors and thresholds, changes of level, low ceilings or beams, as well as indistinct colours on steps and in corridors. We recommend that you call Booking Enquiries on 01628 825925 if you would like to find out the suitability of a particular Landmark for anyone with a specific disability.  Further information on access when visiting Lundy can also be found here.
  • Yes, Landmarks are only available as self-catering accommodation. We do not offer bed and breakfast.
  • Landmark does not provide catering, but we can recommend Greycoat Lumleys who can arrange for expert and well-trained staff to cater for one evening or for your entire holiday. Their cooks and chefs are able to work with you to meet your specific requirements
  • You may bring up to two dogs to properties where dogs are allowed (please see specific property details for exemptions however dogs are not permitted on Lundy except assistance dogs). They must be kept off the furniture and under proper control. A charge of £20 per stay is made for each dog. Please contact booking enquiries if a registered assistance dog is supporting one of the guests, for which there is no charge.
  • Apart from two dogs (see above) no other pets are permitted.
  • Arrival is from 4pm and departure is by 10am.
  • We do not carry insurance for breakages. However we appreciate that accidents do sometimes happen. If you have a breakage during your stay, please let the housekeeper know and if appropriate we reserve the right to invoice you accordingly.
  • Yes, most of our Landmarks are perfect for children, with gardens to play in and secret places to discover. Our furniture is surprisingly robust and we positively encourage families to stay. However, some of our buildings may not be suitable for small children; for example, some of them have steep or uneven spiral staircases. We recommend that you call the Booking Enquiries team if you would like to find out the suitability of any of our Landmarks for young children.
  • Unfortunately, most of our Landmarks are not licensed for weddings. However, you may get married on Lundy.
  • All our larger Landmarks are perfect for gatherings of family or friends. You may invite an additional two guests to visit you during your stay, however they must not stay overnight. This is very important because our fire regulations specifically note the maximum number of people in any one building. In addition our properties are prepared, furnished and equipped for the number of people specified and greater numbers cause damage and excessive wear and tear to vulnerable buildings. Should this condition be ignored we shall make a retrospective charge per person per day (whether or not they stay overnight) for each guest over the permitted limit, the charge being pro-rated on the total cost of your booking.
  • We deliberately do not provide televisions and find that most people appreciate this.
  • One of the challenges of restoring unloved buildings is gaining access to them. We frequently have to negotiate rights with our neighbours and share tracks with them. In many cases tracks do not belong to us and we have no right to maintain them. Wherever possible we work with our neighbours to provide you with a good quality surface, but where this is a problem then you will be warned at the time of booking.
  • Yes, we have standard electricity sockets for UK appliances. If you are coming from outside the UK, you will need to bring your own adaptor plug(s). If you are visiting one of our European properties we have standard European electricity sockets. If you are visiting from the UK, you will need to bring your own adapter plug (s).
  • Landmark’s electrical systems have not been designed to provide continuous power from one socket over several hours.  If an ordinary socket is used to charge an electric vehicle, there is significant risk of an electrical fire and consequent danger to life.  Therefore, we are unable to allow electric vehicle charging from most of our Landmarks at present.

    We are working to provide Type 2 Electric Vehicle charge points at our properties where there is private parking.  Where this is available, please request this facility when booking the property to ensure the outlet is enabled on your arrival.  There is a small charge to cover the cost of electricity provided.  Please book this facility in advance.
  • No, we do not allow smoking in any Landmark.
Facilities
  • Sometimes our kitchens and bathrooms have to be imaginatively fitted into the available space in buildings where before there were none, but they are all planned and equipped to a high and modern standard.
  • Yes, Landmarks are fully equipped with sheets and towels. All the beds are fully made up for your arrival. Except for the Llwyn Celyn Bunkhouse.
  • Yes, our kitchens are well equipped with cookers and fridges. There are freezers and dishwashers (in larger buildings) and, where space allows, microwaves as well as a wide and standard range of utensils. A full equipment list is available at time of booking.
  • Logs are provided at many of our Landmarks for an additional cost.
  • Mobile coverage varies. Some Landmarks have an excellent signal, but others have none at all. You can find those with 4G and 5G signal on our Landmarks with mobile signal page and each building has a link to signal checker in the Essential Information so you can check individual service providers' coverage in the area.
  • The majority of properties do not offer WiFi but many now have mobile coverage. Facilities in some properties rely on WiFi to function and we are currently piloting guest use of WiFi at a few of our buildings. We are going to extend the pilot across more properties and review customer feedback in 2025.
  • A welcome tray with tea and sugar awaits your arrival and you will find a pint of milk in the fridge. We also provide toilet rolls and a bar of soap per basin, but no other toiletries. Hairdryers are provided.

Do you have other questions?

Our Booking Enquiries team can help with information about each building.

Booking Enquiries
01628 825925
[email protected]

Opening hours
Monday to Friday 9am – 5pm


History

On the brink of collapse

In 1981 Shelwick Court was in a ruinous condition, on the brink of total collapse. For many years its elderly owner, Mr John Orgee, had lived in a caravan beside it, the house having been declared unfit to live in. After his death in 1977, his heirs thought there was no alternative to demolition.

When the County Conservation Officer visited Shelwick Court, to see whether the building held any architectural interest apart from its charming stone front of about 1680 he found that on the east wall, plaster had fallen off to reveal timber framing of an early type with ornamental braces. Venturing inside the eastern bedrooms, he found all the signs to indicate a medieval roof above - moulded posts and the foot of an arched brace. A dangerous scramble in the attic confirmed that there was indeed a medieval roof, a very fine one of about 1400.

The Conservation Officer spot listed the building and then approached the Landmark Trust, as a charity which rescues small and endangered historic buildings and gives them a new life by letting them for holidays. Landmark agreed to take the house on, a sale was agreed with the owner and completed in 1981.

The History of Shelwick Court

While the restoration was in progress, some very interesting discoveries were made about this building. First of all, only the eastern part is medieval. This range, which runs from north to south, did not contain a great hall, as was first supposed, but always had two storeys, with a great chamber on the first floor and other rooms below. This it seems was the cross-wing of a larger house and lay at the western end of a vanished great hall. The other side of the quatrefoil panels which you can now see in the great chamber would have appeared inside this hall.

Who lived in this hall house? Unfortunately, we cannot say for certain. The manor of Shelwick belonged from the time of the Domesday survey to the Bishops of Hereford. There is no evidence that they had a manor house for their own use here, but there may have been a house for their steward. While you would not expect this to have been large or grand, it would probably have been where the manorial courts were held. The name Shelwick Court could therefore have some significance. Alternatively, the bishop may have granted the manor to someone else, who then built a house for themselves - though again there is no evidence for this.

The most curious thing is that the whole wing has been taken down and rebuilt. We cannot say if it has always stood on its present site, or if it has been moved from somewhere else. This rebuilding seems to have happened about 1680, when a new first floor, attic and central chimney were inserted. Box-framed wings were added on the west side at the same time using much old timber. These formed a double gable (one of which no longer stands) making the house into a square block with a staircase in the middle of the north side. This new house was given a regular south front in stone with cross-mullion windows and a central door around the same time.

Shelwick Court was by this time the house of a prosperous farmer which it continued to be until it entered its slow decline in the post-war years, a decline which nearly ended in disaster. Its fortunes are now happily reversed, and its rare interior can be enjoyed by a succession of different visitors through the Landmark Trust.

A short history of Shelwick Court

The full history album for Shelwick Court

Download the children's Explorer pack for Shelwick Court

Restoration

Returning the building to a sound structural condition

The restoration was carried out 1982-4 under the supervision of the architect John Schofield, of the Bristol firm Architecton. The builders were Beavan and Hodges of Hereford. There were two main aims behind Landmark's restoration of Shelwick Court. The first, and most urgent, was to return the building to a sound structural condition.

The second was to reveal the fine medieval chamber inside, but to maintain its disguise on the outside by preserving the additions made to it in about 1680. This meant removing an attic floor and the upper section of a chimney, and renewing a missing truss at the south end as a gable, breaking intriguingly through the front slope of the roof.

As the ground floor had always been divided the lower stage of the chimney could be kept, with its fireplace on one side and ovens on the other. It also supports a ring-beam of reinforced concrete which the engineers advised forming around the front half of the building. This anchors steel ties running through the wall to plates on the outside, holding the two skins of stone together. The original design of the south front was restored at the same time by removing a porch and some brick buttresses.

Repair of the medieval wing was more complicated, the idea being to keep new timber to a minimum. Only where an element was visually or structurally essential was it renewed - where a section of collar-beam had been cut away for the chimney, for example, or where part of the northern tie beam had rotted. In two cases where joints had failed, steel plates were inserted to hold the truss, rather than go in for wholesale renewal. In this way just about everything visible is medieval workmanship.

In the wall frames, some panels of both original and 17th century wattle and daub survived. These were kept if possible, and new wattle and daub was formed around them. The traditional method of mixing the daub was used, complete with cow dung. Inside, the panels were finished with a coat of lime-hair plaster, leaving the timber frame exposed. Outside, however, tradition was departed from. For reasons both of strength and economy the walls were clad in weather-boarding. This is usually found on barns in Herefordshire, but is occasionally seen on houses, and there was in fact some already at Shelwick Court.

The great chamber did not originally have a fireplace, but it was felt that one would be desirable now, so a new chimney was built against its western wall. The oak floorboards are also new. Surviving 17th century mullion and transom windows were retained at either end.

In the rooms below, medieval framing has been exposed. Fragments of a medieval window were uncovered in the wall between the bedroom and the entrance hall. In the south room a beam with painted decoration was discovered, apparently dating from the late 1500s. The beam itself was in poor condition so the painted surface was cut off and applied to a new composite beam which supports the new ceiling. The decoration itself was cleaned and consolidated. New windows were fitted in the north room, and new softwood floors in both.

Round the staircase and south-west wing the walls were repaired on the same principles as the east wing, and then the weather-boarding carried on round. Two 17th-century windows survived intact on the staircase, the small top one still with its original glass and lead. The stair itself was repaired with new oak and its 19th-century balusters were replaced with more simple ones.

Inside this part of the building, while the rooms all have new partitions, traditional materials were used - lime-hair plaster and limewash on the walls; salvaged stone flags or quarry tiles on the floors. Throughout the house as many old doors as possible were reused. The glass for the new windows comes from 19th century greenhouses. The roof above is covered in salvaged clay plain tiles. In this way, a harmony between new and old is achieved.