IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Chester Road, BIRMINGHAM, B36 9DE

This is the Stable Block part of the larger estate of the adjacent Castle Bromwich Hall, and carries its own grade II* listed status. http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-218147-stable-block-at-castle-bromwich-hall-cas

Not far from the bustle of the roads of a Birmingham suburb.

A magnificent 16th century building, now Grade 1 listed, which has been relatively little changed over the years British Listed Buildings description is at http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-218145-castle-bromwich-hall-castle-bromwich- A large part of the place is now operated as an hotel and wedding venue.

These gilded iron gates guard an opening in the walls of Castle Bromwich Hall gardens, and when opened connect the north garden of the hall with the churchyard of the church of St Mary & St Margaret, which can be seen behind the gates. Walls and gates were constructed by the Bridgeman family in the early 18th century; they were declared listed buildings in 2020 and their listing and associated description can be seen at the Historic England site here https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1472046?section=official-list-entry . The church building that we see here was constructed in the same period as the gates and walls, between 1726 and 1731, to designs by Thomas White of Worcester. It encases a 15th century timber-framed church, concealing it completely behind red brick and stone on the exterior and plasterwork inside; see the Historic England entry for the church here https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1075951?section=official-list-entry . That something is hidden is hinted at by the very odd, unclassical proportions of the interior, with squat, bulging columns concealing the medieval timbers.

This handsome bench looks across a lawn to the west front of Castle Bromwich Hall, a 16th century mansion enlarged and altered in the 17th and early 18th centuries (see its listing on the Historic England site here https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1366587?section=official-list-entry ). The hall is now a luxury hotel. The photographer is standing in the walled gardens of the hall, which are maintained by a charitable trust and are open to the public, while the hall is not.

Now a grade 1 listed building, this church was altered around 1726 quite likely under the direction of the owners of the Castle Bromwich Hall properties, to which it is adjacent. The interior still retains large sections of its medieval oak timber frame construction and roof, and a 12th century Norman chapel, all of which have been encased within a brick skin.

An OS cutmark at the base of the tower of the church; originally levelled at 110.94m above Ordnance Datum Newlyn.

Looking towards the "Greenhouse".