Great Barr Hall

Image: © Richard Law Taken: 18 Jul 2018

Or rather more accurately, the burnt-out shell of Great Barr Hall. The site dates from late medieval times, or possibly earlier, as by the mid 1760s a 'commodious and handsome' farmhouse stood here. By the late 1770s, significant alterations were underway, led by the owner Joseph Scott; the problem was that these alterations led to financial difficulties for the family and the house was sold soon after. It passed to Samuel Galton, and was used as a meeting place for The Lunar Society of Birmingham, hosting such illustrious names as James Watt, Matthew Boulton and Josiah Wedgwood amongst others. It was then re-acquired by the Scotts just before the turn of the 19th century, and further alterations were made, including some internal changes to try and rationalise the rather random collection of floors and houses that it really comprised of at that time. By the early 1900s, the Scott family had once again moved on, and the hall became an orphanage under the management of the West Bromwich Poor Law Guardians, and then a school and hospital. This state of affairs persisted into the 1970s, by which time some of the features of the house had been demolished to make way for hospital improvements. It fell into considerable disrepair after 1978, despite being in private ownership in the 1980s, and has suffered further vandalism and arson since then, now being in a terribly parlous state - probably beyond reasonable hope of redemption to be honest. The house is fenced off at present and looks to be held up in places by the scaffolding seen here. It was Grade II* listed in 1986, but this was reduced to Grade II in 2016. The listing details at https://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/101076395-great-barr-hall-and-chapel-pheasey-park-farm-ward#.W1HiM9QrLGg give an extensive history of the house, of which the above is a summary.

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