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Selly Manor update

Hello, I work at Selly Manor and we have a lot more exciting information that we'd like to share, but understand that we shouldn't edit the article ourselves. We would be very grateful if someone could amend the text on the article to the following:

Selly Manor is a Grade II* timber framed building in Bournville, that was moved to its current site in 1916 by chocolate manufacturer and philanthropist George Cadbury.

History Over its 500 year history this building has had several names as well as two locations. The earliest known records for it date from 1476. At that time it was called Smythes Tenement and was on land belonging to William Jenette, lord of the sub-manor of Selly. William Jenette leased Smythes Tenement to a local farmer, John Othe’field (John of the field).

In 1561, attorney and bailiff John Setterford, his wife Phylis, and her son William Pritchett leased the house. This family is significant as they prospered and bought the house. Phylis Setterford outlived her husband, and when she died in 1608, an inventory of the contents was made, which details the layout of the building as well as every item in it. From this, it is evident that at that time, the middle section of the building was a medieval hall. Hearth tax returns show that this section was replaced by 1664 with the three storey brick section that is now in place. The house was owned and occupied by Phylis Setterford’s descendants until 1699. After this date, a succession of absentee landlords failed to invest in the building and its status declined. The house became unfashionable, and its status fell further in 1795 when the house was sold separately to the land that went with it.

The condition of Smythes Tenement continued to decline. By 1853 it had been split into three cottages to be leased, and was known as The Rookery. The census records show that by 1861, ten members of the Davis family lived in the smallest end cottage, the middle cottage was occupied by four members of the Thompson family, and the remaining cottage was home to seven members of the Williams family.

The condition of the house deteriorated further still and following the death of its owner Edward Olivieri, the Rookery was put up for sale by auction in 1907.

It was bought by George Cadbury, with the intention that it would be a museum. In a letter to his son, Laurence he wrote:

‘These old buildings are educational and especially needed for a new town like Birmingham; a vast majority of people never think of bygone times.’

Contemporary accounts state that the area where The Rookery stood was ‘unlovely’. To give the building a better future, George Cadbury had the building carefully taken down and moved to its current site. The project was managed by architect William Alexander Harvey, who meticulously documented each step. Work began in 1909, and was finally completed in 1916. The following year, the building opened as a museum, with a new name; Selly Manor. The museum contains the Laurence Cadbury Collection, a unique collection of furniture and domestic objects intended to give the feel of a house from the 17th century. Laurence Cadbury was George Cadbury’s forth son, and the collection at Selly Manor is a testament to his interest in collecting fascinating items.

Selly Manor Museum Today Selly Manor is now an independent museum owned by Bournville Village Trust. The museum consists of Selly Manor, and a medieval hall called Minworth Greaves, which is a licensed wedding venue, and can be booked for occasions. The museum is visited by over 16,000 visitors each year, it runs an education programme, offers talks, guided tours and events.

References

‘Selly Manor’ a new history, George Demidowicz 2012

Selly Manor on-site information books

External Link https://sellymanormuseum.org.uk/official website

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