You may know William Morris as the 19th century designer and political commentator, and even spotted some of his wallpapers around Winterbourne House. But are you aware of his printing press? We have been researching what inspired Morris to establish the Kelmscott Press, and how it significantly impacted the printing industry. Portrait of William Morris c. 1887 The Industrial Revolution created an unprecedented demand for books. As they were still bound by hand in the mid 18th century, the printing trade struggled to keep up with this pressure. This resulted in the deterioration of binding ..read more

May’s recipe of the month is ‘Chickens in Broth’ – a 15th century recipe brought back to life courtesy of our Visitor Engagement Manager-cum-medieval cook, Tessa. Packed with timeless flavours, it’s sure to delight even the most discerning of today’s palates.  Published by Richard Pynson in 1500, the Boke of Cokery is thought to be the first cookery book printed in English. It is believed to have been written c.1440, so its contents may seem unfamiliar to modern readers, largely providing guidance for popular dishes of the time and menus for elaborate feasts, rather than the step-by-step ..read more

We love seeing visitors discover the magic of the Winterbourne Press and watching our wonderful volunteers keep 19th century printing techniques alive. But why is there a printing press at Winterbourne – and where did it come from? Read on to discover its provenance. The Winterbourne Press came into existence in 2012, when Winterbourne salvaged some early printing presses which were at risk of being scrapped. Our earliest machine, an 1837 Sherwin & Cope Imperial, once belonged to the Shakespeare Institute in Stratford-upon-Avon. In the 1970s, it became part of the Flat Earth Press ..read more

We’re all familiar with the typical garden pests – aphids, slugs, and snails – but our Head Gardener Dan is currently having some trouble with pests of the furrier variety: grey squirrels. In the battle between gardener and squirrel, who will win? As spring continues to paint Winterbourne with its vibrant hues, we find ourselves grappling with a familiar adversary: the grey squirrel. Their persistent appetite for tulips presents a formidable challenge, thwarting our efforts to cultivate these delicate flowers. Sometimes our squirrel companions dig them up in the autumn. Sometimes they like ..read more

Woolton pie is a comforting dish that harks back to an era of wartime ingenuity and homegrown sustenance. Originally designed to be nutritious and make the most of easy-to-grow root veg, this cheap and cheerful recipe can be adjusted according to what’s in season. Feel free to swap the vegetables below with any personal favourites. Serves four. Ingredients: For the pastry 8oz wholemeal/wholewheat flour 4oz cold mashed potato 3oz margarine or lard 2 tsp of baking powder Pinch of salt Milk, for glazing For the filling 1lb cauliflower 1lb swedes 1lb carrots 1lb potatoes 3 spring onions 2 teasp ..read more

Sometimes objects literally come out of the woodwork. During a clear-out of one of the workshops a few years ago, this little brass plaque was discovered. Nobody knew where it had come from. When we started to investigate, we realised that it could be a relic from the time of John Nicolson, Winterbourne’s last private owner. Vane & Schofield Forward Appliance Works were based in Brighton Road, Balsall Heath, Birmingham. The warehouse occupied a massive site. In an entry in the British Industries Fair catalogue for 1937, the company advertises summer houses, garden chalets, greenhouses, co ..read more

For the past 80 years, Winterbourne’s garden has been in the hands of University of Birmingham. Before then, it was lovingly tended to by Winterbourne’s last private owner, John Nicolson. Head Gardener Dan reflects on how Nicolson’s impact has shaped the garden into the one so beloved by all who tread its paths today. I often think of the garden today as being closer to the one John Nicolson left in 1944 than the one Margaret Nettlefold left behind in 1919, when she sold Winterbourne to the Wheelock family. This assumption is based largely on speculation on my part, but not entirely without ..read more

John Macdonald Nicolson (1869 – 1944) was a passionate gardener, and it was likely the extensive garden that attracted him to Winterbourne when it came up for sale in 1925. He was responsible for some of the garden’s most popular features, including the Japanese bridge and tea house, and the pergola. In this article, archives volunteer Sue Tungate and curator Henrietta Lockhart explore his life. Nicolson was born in Liverpool in 1869. His grandparents, John and Janet Nicolson, lived on a farm at Kilmuir on the Isle of Skye and were Gaelic-speaking Presbyterian crofters. The large Nicolson fa ..read more

This classic Mrs Beeton recipe makes a perfect centrepiece for your Easter dinner. Serve it with some fluffy roast potatoes and seasonal vegetables (we’re thinking spring greens, cabbage, asparagus) for a crowd-pleasing feast. Ingredients One shoulder of lamb, boned (you can use a rack or leg of lamb instead) Four garlic cloves, peeled and quartered lengthways About six each small fresh rosemary and thyme sprigs Four bay leaves Two oranges 60ml/ 4tbsp olive oil Salt and pepper 300ml / ½ pint red wine Orange slices and fresh herbs for garnish Method Trim any lumps of fat from the lamb, then ..read more

Our Visitor Experience Manager, Tessa, shines a light on the life of Fanny Wilkinson – a pioneering horticulturist who paved the way for women in the field, yet whose work has been mostly lost to obscurity. When asked to write something for International Women’s Day, I thought I might wax lyrical about Gertrude Jekyll – the well-known twentieth century garden designer whose work inspired Maragret Nettlefold’s vision for the garden at Winterbourne. However, I thought I would do a bit of fresh research and, as I delved into internet searches of ‘early women in horticulture’, I stumbled across ..read more