Longford Hall, Shropshire
Longford Hall is a large country house in Longford, a village in Shropshire, England near the town of Newport, built in 1785 for Colonel Ralph Leeke who was political agent of the British East India Company, designed by Joseph Bonomi, who had worked with Robert and James Adam. The hall is Grade II* listed with English Heritage.[1]
The hall is placed on top of a low rise and looks over farmland towards the Lilleshall Monument which is surrounded by burials. As with many such buildings, the first 100 feet in front of the hall is manicured grass, bordered by a ha-ha which prevented animals from entering. There is a small series of gardens, including a "quad". Behind the hall are a selection of buildings around a central square containing a dovecote which once formed the farm supporting the estate. These buildings were renovated and sensitively converted into housing between 2001 and 2004. The central dovecote is circular and forms an unusual dwelling.
The hall and lands are currently owned by Adams' Grammar School and are used by them as the school's junior boarding house and sports fields.[2] Some land was sold off in 2000 for private housing - now the "Longford Park" housing estate. To get between the school and the hall, one travels approximately one mile along Longford Road.
Longford Lake
Across the playing fields, approximately 500 metres, is the Longford Lake. This large artificial pool is used for private fishing by the school and holds a wide variety of fish, including carp.
Boarding Masters
Boarding House Masters at Longford Hall have included:
- Mr Oliver G. Atkinson (Start date unknown, died at the Hall 1979 after an illness)
- Dr David Westgate (1979 - )
- Mr Rodney Jones (Start date unknown-1988)
- Mr Gerald Leach (1988-1991)
- Mr George Mayne (1991–1994)
- Mr Philip North (1994–2001)
- Mr Lee Hadley (2001–2007)
- Mr Matthew Skeate (2007-2016)
- Mr Samuel Obeng-Asare (2016-)
Matrons
- Mrs Atkinson (? - circa 1982)
- Mrs Anderson
- Mrs Fowler
- Mrs Vernon
- Mrs Peters
- Miss Davies
- Miss Clare Pickering 2000-2014
- Mrs Allday (2014- current)
52°45′39.4″N 2°24′13.0″W / 52.760944°N 2.403611°W
References
- ^ "Longford Hall". English Heritage. Retrieved 13 July 2016.
- ^ "'Longford'". Adams' Grammar School. Retrieved 24 April 2016.
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