Hixon History Society

In February, Bob Marsh gave an interesting talk about Beaudesert Hall and its eight centuries of English history.

King Stephen donated land on Cannock Chase, possibly at Castle Ring, to Cistercian monks to build a hermitage. Later pressures caused the monks to seek a new site, and Henry II gave the monks Stoneleigh, where they built Stoneleigh Abbey, and used the former chapel as a hunting lodge.

Richard I sold the whole of Cannock Chase to Bishop Nonant of Lichfield.

Then in 1290, Bishop Langton of Lichfield decided to move the site of his new hunting lodge down the ridge to the east, from where he could see Lichfield Cathedral.This new lodge he called ‘Beaudesert,’ a Norman French word meaning ‘Beautiful Wilderness’.

In 1536, King Henry VIII dissolved the monasteries and took over their lands. He sold Beaudesert to Sir William Paget, an influential agent of the king, possibly at an advantageous price. Much of the wealth of the Paget family came from vast deposits of coal and iron ore on their estate. In 1560, Thomas Paget, 3rd Baron, began rebuilding Beaudesert Hall, though much of the old hall was retained.

Centuries later, in 1812, Henry William Paget played a pivotal role at the Battle of Waterloo, where he commanded the cavalry. As a reward he was made Marquess of Anglesey by the Prince Regent, who visited him at Beaudesert.

In 1904, following the death of the Fifth Marquess, Charles Paget, a cousin, inherited Beaudesert and set about sorting out the estates and the difficult finances after the extravagances (mainly spent on jewels and costumes) of the Fifth Marquess. Charles made Beaudesert his main residence and, after a fire in 1909, renovated the property, adding a new dining wing with a billiard room. Following the First World War, property taxation was considerable, and it was decided that the family should dispose of Beaudesert and live at Plas Newydd, their Anglesey seat. In October 1932, 2010 acres of the estate were offered for sale at auction. This included Castle Ring, nine lodges, and Beaudesert Golf Course. No buyer was found for the hall, and it was decided to sell it for demolition in 1935. The builder contracted for the demolition went bankrupt, and the demolition was not completed, leaving the ruined hall and a little of the brick-built house. In 1937, the Sixth Marquess bought back 123 acres of his former estate and gifted it to a charity established for the benefit of Scouts, Guides, and other young people, and ‘The Beaudesert Trust’ was opened by the Princess Royal. The ruins were protected with Grade II listed building status in 1953 and there is currently an application to stabilise the ruins and restore the gardens to their original state.

The topic for the March meeting of the Hixon History Society is "A new home in Stone for GPO / BT" presented by Shaun Farrelly.

In April we will be learning about Blythe Colours.

All meetings start at 8.00pm. 

The fee is £2-00 per person. All welcome. 

John Egginton