Heathfield Hall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Heathfield Hall |
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An 1835 painting of the hall, by Allen Edward Everitt
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| Alternative names | Heathfield House |
| General information | |
| Type | House |
| Town or city | Birmingham |
| Country | England |
| Coordinates | 52°30′21″N 1°54′56″W / 52.5058°N 1.9155°W |
| Construction started | 1790 |
| Demolished | 1927 |
| Client | James Watt |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Samuel Wyatt |
Heathfield Hall was a large house in Handsworth, England. It was built for the famous engineer James Watt. Handsworth is now part of the city of Birmingham.
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Building Heathfield Hall
James Watt was a brilliant engineer. He is well-known for improving the steam engine. In 1790, Watt decided to build a new home.
His business partner, Matthew Boulton, suggested an architect named Samuel Wyatt. Wyatt had also designed Boulton's own home, Soho House. Watt liked Wyatt's work and asked him to design Heathfield Hall.
James Watt's Workshop
James Watt lived in Heathfield Hall until he passed away in 1819. He was buried at a nearby church, St Mary's Church.
Watt had a special workshop in the attic, called a garret workshop. After he died, this room was sealed off. Very few people were allowed to see it.
Moving the Workshop to a Museum
In 1924, the entire workshop was carefully taken apart. Over 8,300 items were removed. This included furniture, the window, door, and even the floorboards!
All these pieces were moved to the Science Museum in London. There, the workshop was put back together exactly as it was. You can still visit it today and see where Watt worked.
Later Owners and Demolition
After James Watt's family, Heathfield Hall had several new owners. Over time, parts of the land around the house were sold off. This land was used to build new homes.
In the 1880s, another engineer named George Tangye bought Heathfield Hall. He lived there until he died in 1920.
The End of Heathfield Hall
After George Tangye's family sold the house, Heathfield Hall was demolished. This happened in 1927. The land where the hall stood was then used for new buildings.
Today, the area that was once the Heathfield Estate is now West Drive and North Drive in Handsworth. In the 1930s, many houses were built there. These homes were designed in the Arts and Crafts and Moderne styles.
