Kilver Court

Kilver Court

Kilver Court is a historic house and gardens in Shepton Mallet in the English county of Somerset. The River Sheppey powered textile mills and it later became a factory, the headquarters of the Showerings brewing business (later part of Allied Domecq), and then the headquarters of a leather-goods manufacturer, Mulberry. It is now used as a shopping centre.

History

Numbers 26, 26B and 27 Kilver street was a country house built around 1650 and since converted into offices and shops. They form a Grade II listed building.[1] It was originally owned by the Whiting family which included Richard Whiting, who used it as their country house close to the mills used in woollen manufacturing, later converting to silk throwers and then lace production[2]

The 19th century dovecote, known as the "Round House" and its adjacent gate piers and gates are also listed.[3][4][5]

Over the course of the 20th century the site has been a factory, the headquarters of the Showerings brewing business (later part of Allied Domecq), and then the headquarters of a leather-goods manufacturer, Mulberry.[6]

It has been used as a venue for the Shepton Mallet Digital Arts Festival.

Gardens

The gardens and Charlton Viaduct

The gardens are overlooked by the disused Charlton Viaduct as it crosses the River Sheppey.[7] They were laid out in the 1880s by Ernest Jardine, the Member of Parliament for East Somerset, 1910 to 1918, for his lace workers.[8] He used the old mill ponds as boating lakes;[9] and also built a pub and schoolhouse.[8] They became known as Jardine’s Park and included fruit and vegetable plots which provided food for the workers.[6][10][11]

The current layout is a reproduction of a 1960s Chelsea Flower Show medal winning garden designed by George Whitelegg and includes a rockery and parterre.[12] The area adjacent to the river includes hostas, day lilies and candelabra primulas.[13]

Shopping

In 2010 the buildings were converted into a designer outlet by Roger Saul the founder of Mulberry.[14] The stores include: Mulberry, L.K.Bennett and Whistles.[15] Following the challenges of Covid-19, Saul decided in 2021 to sell the business, and Kilver Court was bought by the Showerings family which had originally owned the site.[16]

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kilver Court.
  1. ^ "Nos 26, 26B & 27". National Heritage List for England. Historic England. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
  2. ^ "Re-inventing the home of Babycham". BBC. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
  3. ^ "The Round House". National Heritage List for England. Historic England. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
  4. ^ "Gate Piers and Gates Adjacent to The Round House". National Heritage List for England. Historic England. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
  5. ^ "Conservation Area Character Appraisal and Management Proposals Shepton Mallet". Mendip District Council. p. 44. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
  6. ^ a b Stone, Alan (2005). Shepton Mallet: A Visible History. Shepton Mallet Local History Group. pp. 23–24. ISBN 0-9548125-1-4.
  7. ^ "Kilver Court Gardens". Wells Somerset. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
  8. ^ a b Vernon, Jean (December 2019). "Reflecting on the past". The Garden RHS: inspiring everyone to grow. 143 (12).
  9. ^ "Kilver Court Garden, Shepton Mallet". Great British Gardens. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
  10. ^ "Kilver Court Gardens". Garden Visit. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
  11. ^ "Kilver Court Gardens". Archived from the original on 3 April 2012. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
  12. ^ "Kilver Court". Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
  13. ^ "Kilver Court: English Garden of the Week". English Gardens. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
  14. ^ "Mulberry founder's Kilver Court welcomed in Shepton Mallet". BBC. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
  15. ^ "Plan Your Visit". Kilver Court. Retrieved 20 October 2016.
  16. ^ "New owners of recently closed shopping outlet announced". Somerset County Gazette. Retrieved 6 September 2022.

51°11′27″N 2°32′10″W / 51.1907°N 2.5360°W / 51.1907; -2.5360