Photos

	SOLIHULL LOCAL HISTORY CIRCLE Welcome to www.solh.org.uk

SOLIHULL LOCAL HISTORY CIRCLE

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PHOTOGRAPHS

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Old Solihull
Wellesbourne Water Mill
Hardman's
Needle Museum, Reddich

PICTURES OF OLD SOLIHULL

Old Berry Hall Farm 1906

This 14^th Century house was the home of the Waring Family from 1505 – 1774. It became a farm and was bought by Joseph Gillott, the pen maker, who built New Berry Hall in 1870. Much of the original hall and the moat survives.

Solihull High Street in 1908

“Lime Tree House”, now called the Manor House, is seen in the left foreground and Silhill House, demolished in 1926, at the far end of the street. Silhill House was a farm which then became a coaching inn “The Swan” and later the home of the Chattock Family for several generations.

Solihull Public Hall

Built in 1876 to replace the old Town Hall near the Church, the Public Hall had a Court Room and offices downstairs and a large Assembly Room seating 300 upstairs. It became the Council House from 1937 to 1967 and is now a bar. Lloyds Bank next door opened in 1877.

Hillfield Hall in 1904

The present house was built by William Hawes in 1576 and descended through the Hawes Family to the Fieldings and then the Greswoldes. The south front of the Hall was destroyed by fire in 1867 but was rebuilt. The Hall became a restaurant in 1974 and was recently converted into three apartments.

Solihull School in 1907

Solihull Grammar School was founded in 1615 in Malvern House in Park Road. In 1882 this present building, designed by Chatwin, was put up at a cost of £4,222. The ivy clad chapel can be seen in the left foreground and the head masters house was on the right hand side.

Malvern Hall in 1907 To top of page

Originally a farm bought by the Rector Henry Greswold in 1680, Malvern Hall was built by his eldest son Humphrey Greswolde about 1690. The wings by John Soane were added in 1784 and the portico with ionic columns added in 1811. The hall descended through the Greswolde/Williams/Lewis Family until it was bought by David Tromans in 1896 who removed the third floor. It is now a school.

High Street and Parish Church 1906

Almost all of these buildings are still standing although now converted in shops.

St Augustine’s Church and Presbytery

In 1761 a priests house with a small chapel behind was built on this site. The new church was built in 1839 to a design by A.W.Pugin and the Presbytery beside it in 1878. The Presbytery was demolished in 1979 when the church was extended.

The Bowling Green at the George Hotel

The George Hotel is 16^th Century or earlier and was a coaching inn first called “The Bell” in1693, then the “Nags Head” (1715 – 1738) and “The George” from 1838. After extensions in 1957 and 1972 the building was restored in 1990. The bowling green probably dates from 1693 and had a yew arbour, reputed to be 600 years old, which held 12 people.

Warwick Road, the Golden Lion and the Congregational Church in 1906

The old Golden Lion, a three storey red brick house, was replaced by a new building on an angle at the corner of Union Road in 1935. It is now called the Town House. Solihull Congregation Church was built in 1883 to replace the Bethesda Chapel in Union Road and seated over 400. It was demolished in 1965 when Mell Square was built.

St Alphege Parish Church Solihull in 1909

The 12^th century church was rebuilt in the late 13^th century with the north aisle and porch being added one hundred years later. The spire, which is 188 feet high including the cross and weather vane, fell during a storm in 1757 but was rebuilt by 1776. The pulpit dates from 1610 and the lectern from 1884. The church contains many memorials to past Solihull worthies.

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PHOTOS OF VISIT TO WELLESBOURNE WATER MILL