I notice that today, Susan Marie Ward has published another cracking post on the Staffordshirebred blog. I know I keep banging on about her stuff but it really is a must read for local history types. Along with Lichfield Lore and the sadly dormant Tamworth Time Hikes, Susan’s work is becoming an essential stopping off point for anyone into the quirkier side of South Staffordshire history.
The reason I flag up the latest work is that it details Little Wyrley Hall, and a remarkable article about it, which anyone interested in the history of coal mining and land ownership in Brownhills will be fascinated to read.
It should be brought into even sharper relief for anyone who heard the musings of Gerald Reece last Friday at the talk in Brownhills, as Susan did.
In the process of looking at Wyrley Hall for this blog post, I also came upon a rather remarkable blog about little-known and little talked about private country houses called Handed On. There’s a brief post on there covering Wyrley Hall, but my attention was snagged by several other great posts there. Excellent stuff.
Please do visit Staffordshirebred, and if you haven’t already, please subscribe. I’ll keep banging on about this, it really is a fine blog.
Click on the screenshot to read the whole post at Staffordshirebred…
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Amazing how much of the Wallace’s land suddenly acquired planning permission to boost its value shortly after the route for the BNRR/M6Toll was confirmed.
You have to wonder why the councils of Cannock Chase and South staffs suddenly decided to do this.
I really love “Handed On”. Thank you so much for finding it. It’s about “Heritage”, but in a three dimensional sense that is seldom illuminated like this. Without banging any drum, it presents beautiful things, beautifully, for everyone to draw their own conclusions about the benefits ….and disbenefits …..of Tradition – with a capital T.
I too, was reminded when reading of Wyrley, of Wentworth Woodhouse as written about in “Black Diamonds”, which must be one of my favourite books of the last few years, and one I consider essential consumption for anyone considering the relationship between the workforce, the landlord and the entrepreneur when creating national wealth from the extraction of minerals from the earth.
Just to say thanks both for your encouraging words. I’m not sure the places featured are always totally thrilled to be dragged blinking into the glare of 21st century scrutiny but, hey ho, I shall plug on…
It’s a wonderful thing you’re doing there. The internet never ceases to amaze me with the sheer diversity of the stuff people are writing so well about.
Don’t suppose you’ve considered Hanch Hall, near Lichfield? Interesting place. Allegedly had a scale model of Lichfield Cathedral in the grounds at one point – was open for a day or two in the past, but now seems to be undergoing a period of decay.
Shame, looks like an interesting place…
Cheers
Bob
And there was me thinking this would be a piece about the Agency who manage the Manics/Feeder/many others. 🙂
Could have been the Small Faces!
If you tolerate badly punning titles, your children will be next.
Or something ;0)
Bob
“Black Diamonds”… the relationship between the workforce, the landlord and the entrepreneur when creating national wealth from the extraction of minerals from the earth.
The workforce, Phineas Fowke Hussey and the Harrison family. I must read It!
Best wishes Pedro
C’mon the Foxes!
Mr and Mrs Wallis entertained the field at their charming old-world house, Little Wyrley Hall on Saturday, but owing to the wild night and morning foxes were difficult to find all day. The local coverts and Cooper’s Coppice and Court Bank all failed.
Tamworth Herald 29 November 1930