Introduction
The hall has been demolished and the site built over, but the walled garden remains. A recent grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund has ensured the preservation of the walled garden, which has been renovated as a community project.
The Elford Hall Garden Project began life in 2009 with the objective of saving the walled garden from housing development. The project is entirely conceived, delivered and maintained by volunteers - a tremendous community effort which has received recognition through the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service in 2012, several Royal Horticultural Society Awards in 2011, 2012, 2013 and an Award of the British Empire Medal to Chairman and founder member David Watton.
The ‘mission statement' was always to try to provide a free amenity for everyone to enjoy, and the site now attracts many visitors throughout the year.
The garden offers a range of allotments, an orchard, flower borders, a rose garden, a sensory garden and has many interesting historical features. It is also available for hire as a venue for hosting weddings and celebrations. Pathways are wheelchair friendly, toilets are available and on volunteer days (Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays) it is also possible to get refreshments. Picnic tables are provided and there is a boules pitch that visitors can use. It is a good site for wildlife observation, and has 3 pegs for angling enthusiasts.
Detailed description added 28/07/2015
- Visitor Access, Directions & Contacts
Telephone
01827 383533Website
https://elfordhallgarden.orgAccess contact details
The site has been recently renovated and is now open to the public, daily until dusk. Entry is free of charge.
Directions
http://elfordhallgarden.org/contact/
Owners
Birmingham Corporation
- History
The Elford Estate was ‘gifted' to Birmingham in 1936 by Howard Paget, last Squire of Elford, to be held in trust for the benefit of the people of Elford and Birmingham. It was a substantial gift which included a Georgian Hall, 600 acres of farmland and numerous properties including two walled gardens, a wood yard, stables, blacksmith's forge and numerous cottages. The estate extended from Whittington to Elford and had farms and cottages on both sides of the river.
The old Hall was used to house exhibits from Birmingham's museum during World War 2 but then fell into disrepair and was declared unsafe and demolished in 1964. Over the years, Estate property was sold off until by 2008, very little of the original estate remained. In 2008 an action group was formed in Elford. Permission was gained from Birmingham Corporation to allow the group to try to rescue the decaying walled garden and to turn it into an amenity to be enjoyed by the general public.
Detailed history added 28/07/2015
- Features & Designations
Plant Environment
- Environment
- Walled Garden
Features
- House (featured building)
- Description: The Georgian house was demolished in 1964.
- Kitchen Garden
- Description: The garden has been recently renovated, and is partly in use as allotments. The Victorian gardens, herbaceous borders and orchard have also been re-created.
- Earliest Date:
- Latest Date:
- Garden Building
- Description: The Gardener's cottage.
- Orchard
- Herbaceous Border
- Rose Garden
- Key Information
Type
Garden
Purpose
Ornamental
Plant Environment
Environment
Principal Building
Domestic / Residential
Survival
Part: standing remains
Open to the public
Yes
- References
Contributors
Staffordshire Gardens and Parks Trust
Roger Thompson