Published: 04/02/2010 00:00

New book on the history of Salt King’s Chateau Impney

A LOCAL historian has written a book on one of Worcestershire’s most lavish mansion houses that was built by a Victorian Black Countryborn entrepreneur.

‘Chateau Impney the Story of a Victorian Country House’ by John Richard Hodges tells the story of the grand house near Droitwich that was home to the ‘Salt King’ John Corbett.

Impney Hall, as it was originally named, was built between 1869 and 1875. John Corbett, born in Brierley Hill in 1817, was the son of a Delph canal carrier. He sold his share in the family business and in 1853 bought a disused salt works at Stoke Prior near Droitwich. He mechanised the works, transforming them into the largest salt works in Europe and making him a fortune. He spent much of his wealth on philanthropic projects. He built schools, houses and a model village for his Stoke Prior workers, built and funded hospitals, almshouses and donated funds to the restoration of churches and cathedrals. He served as a Liberal MP from 1874 to 1892, first for Droitwich and then Mid-Worcestershire. In 1888 he sold his business to Salt Union Ltd for £660,000, the equivalent of over £693million in today’s money.

Wife In 1855 he met his future wife in Paris.

Anna O’Meara was the daughter of an Irish diplomat and his French wife. John and Anna married within a year and had six children together but the marriage was not happy.

Anna missed the elegant surroundings of her French upbringing and so Corbett built Impney Hall for her, an elaborate French-style chateau.

Architectural historian Sir Nikolaus Pevsner, writing in 1968, said: “How self-assured he must have been to build thus. Compact, towering, brick and stone chateau in the highest-pitched Louis XIII that his architect, Tronquois of Paris, could dream up.” The house was filled with the finest furniture, china, books and paintings, the great park and gardens landscaped with 3,000 trees planted and made home to red and fallow deer. John Corbett spent a small fortune on the house, the equivalent of over £16million, but his lavish gift could not save his marriage. He and his wife separated, she going to live at one of Corbett’s properties at Tywyn in north Wales.

Following John Corbett’s death in 1901 Impney Hall became the home of the Mitchell family of Birmingham pen manufacturers. After the First World War Impney Hall lay empty for some years until James Ward, one of the original builders of the house, decided to buy it and turn it into the Impney Manor Hotel.

Another war came in 1939 and the house was taken over by the War Office and became a prisoner of war site with the house used to house German officers. The house and gardens suffered and were left in a neglected state.

Fortunately for Impney the hall took on a new lease of life under Ralph Edwards Enterprises. It rose form the ashes of neglect to become Chateau Impney, one of the finest hotels in the Midlands.

In the 1960s it was at the forefront of entertainment, music and was a first class venue for dining and hosting parties and weddings.

The 1970s two enterprising young men, Ken Jackson and Stephen Joynes, saw the potential of this splendid mansion and spent a considerable amount of money modernising and creating more bedrooms and better facilities for the popular leisure industry.

They kept the hotel for only a short time before the Queens Moat House Limited group took over, with Stephen Raguz as manager. It was not long before Mr Raguz bought the hotel; he is still the current owner and is the longest occupier.

John’s book covers the whole history of Chateau Impney, from its construction in the late Victorian period right up to the 21st century. Copies of the book are available from John Richard Hodges, 7 Amber Reach, Spring Lane, Worcester, WR15 1AU for £20 plus £2 post and package. Log on to John’s website at www.johnrichard.totalh.

com for further details.

John gives talks on both Chateau Impney and John Corbett. There is no fee but he does request a contribution towards the Restoration of Rare Books and Manuscripts project at Worcester Cathedral.

John will be giving one of his illustrated talks at the grand house itself.

‘An Evening at Chateau Impney’ takes place on Saturday, 6th March, 7- 10pm. There will be a complimentary glass of wine for all guests on arrival and tea, coffee and biscuits will also be served.