Bordesley Hall, Birmingham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bordesley Hall |
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The ruin of Bordesley Hall by Philip Henry Witton Jr. in 1792 following the Priestley Riots.
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| Former names | Bordesley Manor |
| General information | |
| Type | Manor House |
| Architectural style | Medieval, Georgian |
| Location | Bordesley, Birmingham, Warwickshire |
| Country | England |
| Coordinates | 52°28′19.2″N 1°52′15.6″W / 52.472000°N 1.871000°W |
| Demolished | 1840 |
Bordesley Hall was a large, fancy house from the 1700s, located near Bordesley, Birmingham, in England. It stood in a big park, about the size of 30 football fields! This Georgian style house replaced an even older medieval house that had a moat around it.
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What's in a Name?
The name Bordesley comes from very old English words. It means 'Bord's clearing'. People started using this name as early as the 600s! For a long time, Bordesley and a nearby place called Balsall Heath were thought to be the same area. Both names likely came from an old personal name, 'Bord'.
A Look Back at Bordesley Hall
Early Days and Families
From about the year 850, the Grindlay family lived at Bordesley. They built the first house, which was a moated manor. Even after the Norman Conquest in 1066, the Grindlay family stayed. They worked for the new Norman lords, like the Picquigny and Paganell families.
Later, in 1338, the Botetourt family took over the manor. In 1370, Sir John Botetourt gave it to Sir Hugh Segrave. After Sir Hugh died, his wife Isabel married Sir Thomas Blount. Around 1390, the manors of Bordesley and Haybarn were joined together. This meant they would always be owned by the same people from then on.
The Arden Family and Beyond
The Arden family owned Bordesley Hall from 1563 to 1643. When Robert Arden died without children, the property was split among his four sisters.
In 1706, Sir Charles Holte bought one part of the manor. After this, Bordesley Hall was passed down through the Holte family, just like their other big house, Aston Hall.
The Taylor Family's Grand Home
By the 1700s, John Taylor, a rich manufacturer and banker from Warwickshire, owned the manor. He decided to rebuild the house and make the estate much bigger. He spent a lot of money, about £10,000, to create a beautiful park. It even had a fancy pond with an island, a bridge, and a secret grotto!
When John Taylor died in 1785, his son, also named John, took over. John Jr. and his wife Sarah Skeye had all seven of their children at Bordesley Hall. In 1786, John Taylor Jr. became the High Sheriff of Warwickshire, just like his father.
The Fire of 1791
Sadly, Bordesley Hall was burned down in 1791 during a time of public unrest known as the Priestley Riots. People were protesting, and some of the protests turned violent.
John Taylor Jr. said the damage was over £12,000, and he was paid almost £10,000. But a historian named William Hutton wrote that the real loss was much more, around £22,600. Today, that would be like losing about £3 million!
William Hutton wrote about seeing the fire:
“Hearing Mr. Taylor's house was in danger, they marched to Bordesley, one mile, to save it, but found another mob had begun to rob and burn it. At midnight I could see from my house the flames of Bordesley hall rise with dreadful aspect" – William Hutton, A Narrative Of The Riots In Birmingham, 14 July 1791
Even though some thought the house would be rebuilt, it wasn't. Charles Pye Sr. visited Birmingham in 1818 and wrote:
"Having crossed the Warwick canal, the ruins of Bordesley house are in full view; they having continued in that state ever since the year 1791, when the house was demolished by an infuriated mob. The land by which it is surrounded has been parcelled out, and advertised to be let for building."– Charles Pye, 1820
In 1840, the remaining parts of the house and the land were sold off. New houses were built there instead.
Where Was It?
The exact spot where Bordesley Hall stood isn't perfectly clear today. However, old maps show it in the area of Albert and Bolton Roads. A drawing of the ruins from 1791 by Philip Henry Witton Jr. also shows it on a raised piece of land.
