Earlier Houses: The Italianate house Bateman designed for himself 1848-60 was destroyed by fire in 1895 and replaced by the current house in the late 19th century house (the wings from the earlier house were joined to the new house).

Built / Designed For: James Bateman

House & Family History: During the majority of the 20th century the house served as a hospital.

Comments: Biddulph is famous for its Victorian gardens, called "one of the most exceptional in England" by Lydia Greeves and Michael Trinick.

Garden & Outbuildings: Biddulph is one of Britain's most unusual gardens. Designed in the mid-19th century by James Bateman, the garden was created to display specimens from his extensive and wide-ranging plant collection. The garden is set out in a series of connected compartments, taking visitors are taken on a miniature tour of the world, featuring an Italian garden, the Egyptian Court (which features sphinxes and a topiary pyramid), an imitation of the Great Wall of China, as well as a pinetum, rock gardens, and tunnels. The garden is noted for its dahlias, rhododendrons, and the oldest surviving golden larch in Britain, which was brought to Staffordshire from China in the 1850s. In 1988 the Biddulph garden (but not the house) came to the National Trust, which commenced a major restoration of the famous gardens.

House Listed: Grade II*

Park Listed: Grade I

Past Seat / Home of: James Bateman, 19th century. Robert Heath, 19th century.

Current Ownership Type: Other

Primary Current Ownership Use: Mixed Use

Ownership Details: The gardens are owned by the National Trust and open to the public. The house (not open to the public) has been divided into nine flats.

House Open to Public: Grounds Only

Phone: 01782-517-999

Fax: 01782-510-624

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk

Historic Houses Member: No