Elford
Encyclopedia
Elford is a village and civil parish
in Lichfield District
, Staffordshire
, England. It is situated on the east bank of the River Tame
, about 5 miles (8 km) east of the City of Lichfield and 5 miles north of Tamworth
.
s with which the river here formerly abounded. Before the Norman conquest this manor belonged to Ælfgār, Earl of Mercia
. In the reign of Henry III
, it was held by William de Arderne, whose descendants continued to enjoy it till the marriage of Maud, sole heiress of Sir John Arderne, with Thomas, second son of Sir John Stanley, of Latham, carried it into that family.
Elford House, a charming Victorian property remains and hints at past glories. Elford House was built by the 'Webb' family in the late 19th century. The initials of some family members can still be seen engraved into the wall near the rear patio.
St Peter's Church
is the village church. The church is a Grade II* Listed Building. A church has stood on the current site since Norman times but the current building predominantly dates from the mid-19th century.
Robert Bage
(1730–1801) owned a paper mill, and lived in the Mill House, built 1760. He wrote six novels including Man as he is (1792) and Hermsprong or Man as he is not
(1796) which were much admired by Sir Walter Scott. Elford experienced its largest and most damaging floods in living memory on Fathers Day 2007. The Police, Fire Service,the District Council, Environmental Agencies and even the Army were all present to lend a hand. Nevertheless many houses were severely damaged, including the paper mill,(Recently converted to a dwelling), referred to above. The Mill house, did not suffer as it is considerably elevated in relation to the Mill. The Elford website http://ron.jean.tripod.com/id23.html has extensive detail on the village, its history and it present including the recent and maybe future floods.
's Shooting Butts', from a belief, that he sometimes practised here, and was able to shoot an arrow between them.
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
in Lichfield District
Lichfield (district)
Lichfield is a local government district in Staffordshire, England. It is administered by Lichfield District Council, based in Lichfield.The dignity and privileges of the City of Lichfield are vested in the parish council of the 14 km² Lichfield civil parish...
, Staffordshire
Staffordshire
Staffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
, England. It is situated on the east bank of the River Tame
River Tame, West Midlands
The River Tame is the main river of the West Midlands, and the most important tributary of the River Trent. The Tame is about 40 km from source at Oldbury to its confluence with the Trent near Alrewas, but the main river length of the entire catchment, i.e...
, about 5 miles (8 km) east of the City of Lichfield and 5 miles north of Tamworth
Tamworth
Tamworth is a town and local government district in Staffordshire, England, located north-east of Birmingham city centre and north-west of London. The town takes its name from the River Tame, which flows through the town, as does the River Anker...
.
Origins
The village is said to have derived its name from the great number of eelEel
Eels are an order of fish, which consists of four suborders, 20 families, 111 genera and approximately 800 species. Most eels are predators...
s with which the river here formerly abounded. Before the Norman conquest this manor belonged to Ælfgār, Earl of Mercia
Ælfgar, Earl of Mercia
Ælfgar was son of Leofric, Earl of Mercia,by his well-known wife Godgifu . He succeeded to his father's title and responsibilities on the latter's death in 1057....
. In the reign of Henry III
Henry III of England
Henry III was the son and successor of John as King of England, reigning for 56 years from 1216 until his death. His contemporaries knew him as Henry of Winchester. He was the first child king in England since the reign of Æthelred the Unready...
, it was held by William de Arderne, whose descendants continued to enjoy it till the marriage of Maud, sole heiress of Sir John Arderne, with Thomas, second son of Sir John Stanley, of Latham, carried it into that family.
Buildings
Elford Hall was a handsome mansion, erected about 1758. The Hall and much of the surrounding land was bequeathed, unexpectedly and much to the chagrin of his family, by the current owner Mr Paget to 'the People of Birmingham'. It was intended to be used as leisure facilities or for day trips for the unwashed masses of Brummies, who perhaps predictably, never arrived. By the 1960s, the once beautiful, Elford Hall was so neglected by the 'People of Brimingham' that sadly it had to be torn down. Few reminders of that past splendour remain today, but those which do, including a walled garden, are currently the subject of demands for a return to 'the People of Elford', who may be better relied upon to look after it.Elford House, a charming Victorian property remains and hints at past glories. Elford House was built by the 'Webb' family in the late 19th century. The initials of some family members can still be seen engraved into the wall near the rear patio.
St Peter's Church
St Peter's Church, Elford
St Peter's Church, Elford is a parish church in the village of Elford, Staffordshire in the United Kingdom. The church is situated on the eastern edge of the village on the north bank of the River Tame. The church is a Grade II* Listed Building...
is the village church. The church is a Grade II* Listed Building. A church has stood on the current site since Norman times but the current building predominantly dates from the mid-19th century.
Robert Bage
Robert Bage
Robert Bage may refer to:* Robert Bage , English novelist* Edward Frederick Robert Bage , Australian explorer and soldier...
(1730–1801) owned a paper mill, and lived in the Mill House, built 1760. He wrote six novels including Man as he is (1792) and Hermsprong or Man as he is not
Hermsprong or Man as he is not
Hermsprong: or, Man As He Is Not is a 1796 philosophical novel by Robert Bage. It is the main work for which Bage is remembered and was his last novel. He had previously published a novel entitled Man As He Is....
(1796) which were much admired by Sir Walter Scott. Elford experienced its largest and most damaging floods in living memory on Fathers Day 2007. The Police, Fire Service,the District Council, Environmental Agencies and even the Army were all present to lend a hand. Nevertheless many houses were severely damaged, including the paper mill,(Recently converted to a dwelling), referred to above. The Mill house, did not suffer as it is considerably elevated in relation to the Mill. The Elford website http://ron.jean.tripod.com/id23.html has extensive detail on the village, its history and it present including the recent and maybe future floods.
Surrounding countryside
Elford Lowe, on the summit of a hill, about one mile east of the village, is distinguished by a large oak tree and opposite it, at the distance of a mile, is a smaller lowe. These lowes have been known as 'Robin HoodRobin Hood
Robin Hood was a heroic outlaw in English folklore. A highly skilled archer and swordsman, he is known for "robbing from the rich and giving to the poor", assisted by a group of fellow outlaws known as his "Merry Men". Traditionally, Robin Hood and his men are depicted wearing Lincoln green clothes....
's Shooting Butts', from a belief, that he sometimes practised here, and was able to shoot an arrow between them.