Wolverhampton's Architectural Heritage

Grand Affairs

Tettenhall Towers

Tettenhall Towers c. 1875 (N2/TET/E/3)

Tettenhall Towers, now part of Tettenhall College, is situated in Mount Road Tettenhall. The Towers dates back to the early part of the eighteenth century when a General Thomas Pearson, a returning Indian nabob bought land in Tettenhall at the site of the Holly Bush Inn.

General Pearson built a bungalow type dwelling on to the side of the old inn.

In 1851 the property was acquired by Captain Thomas Thorneycroft, the son of Mr GB Thorneycroft the first Mayor of Wolverhampton.

The house became known as Tettenhall Towers in 1866. Colonel Thorneycroft added a great hall to the existing buildings, complete with a stage with seating for 500 as well as electric light.

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The Stage, Tettenhall Towers (N2/TET/I/6)

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Cover of a programme for Thornycroft Cousins 17th/18th April 1888
(DX-174/15)

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The Great Hall, Tettenhall Towers (N2/TET/I/2)

The hall has a first floor gallery which was taken from St Peter's Church following restoration work.

Another major feature of the great hall is the fireplace:

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(N2/TET/I/3)

The fireplace is set into the wall and goes back under the first floor gallery. The "firedogs" are said to have belonged to Queen Elizabeth I. The oak carvings over the fireplace represent religious subjects.
Suits of armour, heads of deer, African Zulu assegais and tiger skin rugs all combined together to produce an impressive focal point.

The Thorneycroft family lived at Tettenhall Towers until 1943 when Miss Florence Thorneycroft sold the house and grounds to Tettenhall College for £15,100

Penn Hall

Thomas Bradney inherited Penn Hall estate on the death of Dr Raphael Sedgwick in 1747. Under the provisions of the will , Thomas Bradney (or Backwards Bradney as he was known locally) was responsible for paying £25 a year to 5 alms-people and for the cost of erecting and maintaining 5 almshouses. However Backward was not interested in the almshouses and it needed a court order in 1760 to make him comply with the terms of the will.

Penn Almshouses c. 1960 and after restoration 1985 (J5/PEN)

Thomas Bradney died in 1782. The building of Penn Hall was completed around 1795, the work being carried out by the architect William Baker who was later responsible for the rebuilding of the tower of St Bartholomew's Church, Penn.

By 1843 Penn Hall was owned by William Bradney Persehouse, Backwards Bradney's grandson. However he did not live there. The hall was occupied by a Thomas Clark, and in 1851 John W Sparrow, an ironmaster, lived there.

The main rooms on the ground floor were covered with oak panelling, fine plasterwork, fireplaces and detailed features over the doors.

Wolverhampton Corporation acquired the property in 1947 after which the hall was used as a police hostel.

In April 1974 the Education Committee took over the building and a school for physically handicapped children was opened. By 1981 a new school for handicapped children was built in the grounds, while the old hall was used for children in need of residential care.

Sedgley Park Hall

A Queen Ann mansion situated near to the Wolverhampton to Dudley Road. The house at one time belonged to the Hon John Ward; and from 1763 for almost a century the hall was a Roman Catholic School. The house later became the Park Hall Hotel.

The house is of red brick and grey stone rising three stories with a Queen Ann doorway.