| Langley Hall | |
|---|---|
 Interactive map of Langley Hall | |
| General information | |
| Type | Manor house |
| Location | Sutton Coldfield,Birmingham,England |
| Coordinates | 52°33′29″N1°46′43″W / 52.5580°N 1.7786°W /52.5580; -1.7786 |
| Construction started | 1200 (approx.) |
| Demolished | 1817 |
Langley Hall was amanor house just off Fox Hollies Road, one mile from the centre ofWalmley inSutton Coldfield in thehistoric county ofWarwickshire.[1]
The date of construction is unknown; however, by the 13th century, it was the seat of de Beresfords ofWishaw. One member of the family was theChief Justice of the Common Pleas in 1289, and another was a confidential retainer to theBlack Prince.
Langley Hall was a large house, with amoat surrounding it and a pond and fishery within its grounds. It was held by theEarl of Warwick. In 1327, Edmund de Beresford hadlicence to crenellate the house, making it into a fortified building.
The hall passed into the ownership of the Hores before being owned by the Pudseys, strong supporters of theParliamentarians during theEnglish Civil War. In the reign ofHenry VII, Edith Hore formed a relationship with Rowland Pudsey, and they soon married resulting in Rowland acquiring the hall and estate. One of his descendants, Henry Pudsey, died in 1677, leaving two daughters, Elizabeth and Anne, plus awidow, Jane Pudsey. She later marriedWilliam Wilson who was a localarchitect,builder andsculptor. Her daughters disapproved of the marriage and Jane was forced to leave the house. Anne, the younger of the two daughters, inherited the hall following her father's death. Elizabeth Pudsey went on to marryWilliam Jesson, who builtFour Oaks Hall with the help of William Wilson.
The history of the hall is unknown during the 18th century; however, it is known that it was rebuilt in brick.[2] The hall was then sold by the grandson of Jenson to Andrew Hackett and in 1815, it was bequeathed to George Bowyer Adderley. In 1817, George Bowyer Adderley sold the hall toRobert Peel who immediately demolished the hall for no indicated reason. The moat remained; however, it did sustain some damage from the demolition of the hall.
During the history of the hall, a farm served the owners. As part of this farm was a windmill, one of only two in the area, the other being located inManey. A watermill was also operating in the estate for a short time. Both mills were used in the process ofcorn milling.
The site, now inBirmingham in theWest Midlands, is currently occupied by a private residence named Langley House. The moat remains, however, has been drained and is overgrown with plants. Nearby is Langley Hall Farm, which used to serve the hall. Built in theQueen Anne style, it was refurbished in the 1990s into private residences with a landscaped courtyard.
