Somerford Hall
Encyclopedia
Somerford Hall is an 18th century Palladian style mansion house at Brewood
, Staffordshire which now serves as a conference and function centre. It is a Grade II* listed building.
Somerford is a name of Anglo-Saxon
origin and the interpretation is obvious: "summer river-crossing". This probably means that the River Penk
near this point was only fordable in the summer. The manor of Somerford was held from the 1120s, when Henry I
granted land there to Richard de Somerford, until 1705 by the Somerford family, named after their place of residence. The old house and estate was briefly owned by Sir Walter Wrottesley
until he sold it in 1734 to lawyer Robert Barbor for £5400.
Barbor replaced the old manor with the present mansion. The central seven-bayed three-storey block is flanked by single-storey pavilions with pedimented gables and ball finials. The estate was purchased in 1779 by Hon Edward Monckton, (a younger son of Viscount Galway
and half brother of General Robert Monckton
) who had made his fortune in India. Monckton, who was High Sheriff of Staffordshire
in 1835, carried out alterations to the house including the provision of an entrance porch. The grounds were laid out by Humphrey Repton.
In about 1858 the then head of the Monckton family Francis Monckton
moved to live at Stretton Hall
and the Somerford house was let out to tenants.
In about 1945 the property was converted to residential flats but more recently has been renovated and refurbished and opened as a conference centre.
During the 1970s and 1980s the house was converted back to a single residence with the ground floor housing a sports therapy and physiotherapy clinic. This was due to a number of apartment fires, often attributed to the ghost of a murdered kitchen maid. The fire service insisted that to remain as apartments, an exterior fire escape be built. This was refused due to its listed building status. During the late 1980s the owners of the clinic relocated to smaller premises and the house was converted to a conference and wedding venue.
It has many fine architectural attributes with a dining room designed and built by Robert Adam, complete with its original fireplace.
Brewood
Brewood refers both to a settlement, which was once a town but is now a village, in South Staffordshire, England, and to the civil parish of which it is the centre. Located around , Brewood village lies near the River Penk, eight miles north of Wolverhampton city centre and eleven miles south of...
, Staffordshire which now serves as a conference and function centre. It is a Grade II* listed building.
Somerford is a name of Anglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxon may refer to:* Anglo-Saxons, a group that invaded Britain** Old English, their language** Anglo-Saxon England, their history, one of various ships* White Anglo-Saxon Protestant, an ethnicity* Anglo-Saxon economy, modern macroeconomic term...
origin and the interpretation is obvious: "summer river-crossing". This probably means that the River Penk
River Penk
The River Penk is a small river flowing though Staffordshire, England. Its course is mainly within South Staffordshire, and it drains most of the northern part of that district, together with some adjoining areas of Cannock Chase, Stafford, Wolverhampton, and Shropshire...
near this point was only fordable in the summer. The manor of Somerford was held from the 1120s, when Henry I
Henry I of England
Henry I was the fourth son of William I of England. He succeeded his elder brother William II as King of England in 1100 and defeated his eldest brother, Robert Curthose, to become Duke of Normandy in 1106...
granted land there to Richard de Somerford, until 1705 by the Somerford family, named after their place of residence. The old house and estate was briefly owned by Sir Walter Wrottesley
Baron Wrottesley
Baron Wrottesley, of Wrottesley in the County of Stafford, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1838 for Sir John Wrottesley, 9th Baronet. He was a Major-General in the Army and also represented Lichfield, Staffordshire and Staffordshire South in House of Commons. He...
until he sold it in 1734 to lawyer Robert Barbor for £5400.
Barbor replaced the old manor with the present mansion. The central seven-bayed three-storey block is flanked by single-storey pavilions with pedimented gables and ball finials. The estate was purchased in 1779 by Hon Edward Monckton, (a younger son of Viscount Galway
Viscount Galway
Viscount Galway is a title that has been created once in the Peerage of England and thrice in the Peerage of Ireland. The first creation came in the Peerage of England in 1628 in favour of Richard Burke, 4th Earl of Clanricarde. He was made Earl of St Albans at the same time...
and half brother of General Robert Monckton
Robert Monckton
Robert Monckton was an officer of the British army and a colonial administrator in British North America. He had a distinguished military and political career, being second in command to General Wolfe at the battle of Quebec and subsequently being the Governor of New York State...
) who had made his fortune in India. Monckton, who was High Sheriff of Staffordshire
High Sheriff of Staffordshire
This is a list of the High Sheriffs of Staffordshire.The High Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the High Sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in the county but over the centuries most of the responsibilities associated with the post have been transferred...
in 1835, carried out alterations to the house including the provision of an entrance porch. The grounds were laid out by Humphrey Repton.
In about 1858 the then head of the Monckton family Francis Monckton
Francis Monckton
Francis Monckton was an English Conservative politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1871 to 1885....
moved to live at Stretton Hall
Stretton Hall
Stretton Hall is an early 18th century mansion house at Stretton, South Staffordshire. It is the home of a branch of the Monckton family descended from John Monckton 1st Viscount Galway...
and the Somerford house was let out to tenants.
In about 1945 the property was converted to residential flats but more recently has been renovated and refurbished and opened as a conference centre.
During the 1970s and 1980s the house was converted back to a single residence with the ground floor housing a sports therapy and physiotherapy clinic. This was due to a number of apartment fires, often attributed to the ghost of a murdered kitchen maid. The fire service insisted that to remain as apartments, an exterior fire escape be built. This was refused due to its listed building status. During the late 1980s the owners of the clinic relocated to smaller premises and the house was converted to a conference and wedding venue.
It has many fine architectural attributes with a dining room designed and built by Robert Adam, complete with its original fireplace.