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Benthall Hall
Benthall Hall A.jpg
Benthall Hall
General information
Location Benthall
Town or city Shropshire
Country England
Coordinates 52°37′14″N 2°30′24″W / 52.6206°N 2.5067°W / 52.6206; -2.5067
Completed c.1580

Benthall Hall is a fascinating old house in Shropshire, England. It was built a long time ago, around the year 1580. This beautiful hall is still lived in by the Benthall family. However, it's also owned by the National Trust, a charity that looks after historic places. This means you can visit Benthall Hall and explore its history and lovely gardens! It's located near the famous Ironbridge Gorge.

Exploring Benthall Hall

Benthall Hall is a wonderful example of a 16th-century English country house. It has many original features inside, like beautiful oak wood details. You can also see an amazing staircase from the 1600s. The Benthall family still lives here, but the Hall is open to visitors. You can explore it on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Saturdays, Sundays, and Bank Holiday Mondays from February to October.

The Hall's History

Benthall Hall was built around 1580. It was likely built on the same spot where an even older house stood. That first house was a medieval manor house from the 1100s. A manor house was the main home on a large estate, where a lord or wealthy family lived.

During the English Civil War in the 1600s, Benthall Hall was used by soldiers. It was a place where battles and small fights happened. This shows how important the Hall was in those times.

Beautiful Gardens

The gardens at Benthall Hall are very special. Two different people helped create the gardens we see today. George Maw was a local pottery maker who loved crocus flowers. He started developing the garden around 1865.

Later, a painter and sculptor named Robert Bateman added more to the garden. He was the son of a famous gardener. Robert Bateman designed the rockeries and terraces that are still part of the garden today.

Nearby Sights

Close to Benthall Hall, you can find the St. Bartholomew church. This church was built between 1667 and 1668. It's a good example of buildings from the time of the Restoration in England.

The Shropshire Way is a long walking path that goes through the woods near the Hall. These woods are located between the estate and the River Severn. It's a great place for a walk and to enjoy nature.

Benthall Hall in Movies

You might have seen Benthall Hall in a movie! The outside of the Hall was used in the film Enola Holmes. In the movie, it was shown as the home of the Holmes family.

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