Aldershaw House (sic), as feature in the Lichfield Mercury, 14th September 1900, located by Peter 'Pedro' Cutler.

Peter ‘Pedro’ Cutler has been little short of prodigious this week, demonstrating just why I love curating this blog. Peter, together with Andy Dennis and others has been gradually untangling the history of the Harrison family and their home at Aldershawe, between Lichfield and Wall. I’d often wondered about the history of the house – set way back from the road, and surrounded by lakes, a beautiful avenue and possessing its own chapel. There are many curious things about this handsome house, not least the spelling of the name, which seems to have picked up a terminal ‘e’ on later Ordnance Survey Maps.

From the Tamworth Herald, 10th October 1910, as found by Peter 'Pedro' Cutler.

Aldershawe seems to have had a chequered history, having fallen into dereliction in the late Victorian era. Secluded and private, I’ve never actually got close to the house. The stables and farm buildings, now divided into separate dwellings, apartments and commercial units, are home to a livery stable, and for a while, some kind of software company. I don’t know who lives in the big house these days. Does anyone remember its brief conversion to a craft village in the mid-90’s? It’s a secluded place, set back a fair way from Claypit Lane, and I don’t actually have any pictures of the buildings, apart from the charming lodge, on the edge of the estate overlooking Lichfield.

Captain W.B. Harrison, as featured in the Lichfield Mercury, 10th October 1910. Image located by Peter 'Pedro' Cutler.

It’s a beautiful spot and I will make efforts to visit and record it over the weekend. I also invite anyone who knows anything about this large estate to contribute; it’s not until Peter raised this subject that I’d ever directly considered the place. Yet again, my profuse thanks to Peter for a wealth of material he’s currently supplying. I love the way the history just organically develops with the will of you readers and your diligent research. Thank you all.

...And that's just the lodge. The estate itself lies in the woodland behind. Fabulous place. Do you have any memories of this rather unique place?