New Berry Hall
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New 'Berry Hall' (), on the outskirts of Solihull, Birmingham, England, was built on the estate of the existing Berry Hall Farm (picture), by the successful Birmingham business man Joseph Gillott in the late 19th Century.
Berry Hall Farm (Originally named 'Berry Hall') in whose grounds the new hall was built, is a 15th century half timbered property which is still in existence today. Joseph Gillott renamed the original 15th century Berry Hall to become 'Berry Hall Farm' in order that he could then call his new palatial residence 'Berry Hall'. However, the newer 1870 Hall was always unofficially known as 'New' Berry Hall.
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[edit] History
The Hall was designed by J. A. Chatwin and built as a gothic style Victorian mansion on the outskirts of Solihull, Warwickshire. Work commenced in 1870 and was completed in 1880, with South and North Lodges added in 1884 and 1905 respectively. The main entrance was via the South Lodge, from Marsh Lane, through vast iron gates designed by Gillott himself which incorporated pen nib shapes as a feature of the lock design in recognition of the family business. The half mile long driveway still exists, though it is now severed by the main A41 Solihull by-pass.
[edit] Features
One of the most imposing features of the new Hall was its tower which was based on Tom Tower at Christchurch in Oxford. The house had several grand reception rooms, four servants quarters, seven palatial bedrooms, three dressing rooms, two nurseries and just one bathroom. The large entrance hall was adorned by a vast oak staircase and contained an ancient chimney piece, allegedly from Kenilworth Castle. All of the interior decoration was carried out by Lamb & Co who were renowned for their work on Royal properties.
The grounds were landscaped at vast expense and included the digging by hand, of a lake. A few hundred feet from the main hall was built an enormous walled garden, a significant part of which is still present. Down one side of the enclosure was a huge glass house measuring over 80 feet in length, incorporating a vinery and peach and nectarine houses. On the outside of the walled garden was stabling for seven horses and a gas generating plant to provide for the cooking and lighting needs of the main Hall.
[edit] The Owners
Gillott and his family lived in this opulent luxury until his death in 1904 whereupon the estate, which comprised Berry Hall Farm, New 'Berry Hall', Henshaw Hall and Grimshaw Hall in near by Knowle, as well as several hundred acres, was sold at auction. Gillott's own son bought New 'Berry Hall' and Berry Hall Farm from the sale for £15,000 but barely outlived his father - dying in 1907. Both halls were again sold, this time to a business man called William Upton who later that same year shot himself in the porch of New Berry Hall. His wife continued to live at the hall until her own death in 1938. The halls were then sold to a Mr. Harold Tippetts. He was the last owner to enjoy living in the hall. He and his family lived at the New Berry Hall until 1957 when New 'Berry Hall' and the lodges were sold at auction to an undisclosed company purchaser.
[edit] Modern Times
After being sold at auction in 1957, New 'Berry Hall' sat empty while its new owners tried to get planning permission to convert the Hall into a hotel. The wrangling over planning permissions was still ongoing in 1959 when a reporter from the Solihull News visited the grounds after reports received from concerned locals. The reporter found that the once immaculately manicured grounds were now very overgrown, however reassurance was given by the owners that the interior of the hall was being maintained. Over the next 20 years the once magnificent Hall fell into disrepair and ultimately dereliction with several planning applications being refused due to restrictions on the development of green belt land and also due to the listing of the property on Solihull's local listing of historic buildings. Ironically, it was in many ways the councils attempts at protecting the site which ultimately did the most damage to the future of the Hall. It was demolished on the instruction of Solihull Council on safety grounds in the late 1980s having been severely vandalised and stripped out.
All that remains of the New Berry Hall today are several large mounds formed by the vast piles of handmade bricks that have been reclaimed by the plants which where once part of the meticulously maintained grounds. The forest which once surrounded the property has now fully reclaimed the site of the main Hall.
Both lodges also survive today, the South Lodge on Marsh Lane is Grade II listed and the North Lodge, on Hampton Lane, which had stood boarded up and vandalised for many years sold at auction in June 2006 for £550,000 in derelict condition and is now fully renovated.
The Gillott family significance to the area was commemorated through the naming of Gillott Close on an exclusive estate of new properties adjacent to the South Lodge on Marsh Lane in Solihull.
[edit] References
- Solihull News - 2nd July 1959
- Simon Woodfield - New Berry Hall Research Project 1990
[edit] External links
Berry Hall Lodge, Marsh Lane, Solihull, 1884 Grade II
