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A mystery solved....almost..........

Dennis Williams

Gone but not forgotten
Answer to a curious mystery of mine for many years....finally got round to tracking it down ...
So, you are driving up the M40….coming back from David Cameron's pad in Witney (yes, tea was nice and the pineapple chunks delicious)) and just before you turn right at the M42 Junction for Brum….on your right, you will see a tall obelisk on a hill….a sort of slimmer version of Cleopatra's Needle. The map shows it in a field in Pound House Lane...the photo is by a D3Ron on Flikr...and is stunning...

The exact reason for the erection of this obelisk is unknown as no documentary records survive. The obelisk is in alignment with the East front of Umberslade Park (built in 1695-1700 for Andrew Archer) at the edge of the former 300 acre landscaped park. The obelisk is now separated from the Umberslade Park by the M40.

The Archers came to Britain with William the Conqueror (after 1066) and settled at Umberslade during the reign of Henry II (1154-1189), the first family member to live at Umberslade being Robert Sagittarius (or Robert the Archer).

The obelisk was erected for Thomas Archer, then owner of Umberslade Park, in 1749. It has been suggested that the obelisk is connected with his interest in astronomy. However it is most likely that it was erected to commemorate Thomas Archer's ascension to the peerage, he became the 1st Lord Archer, Baron Umberslade in 1747. It has also been suggested that the obelisk commemorates the defeat of the Jacobites, or the Peace of Aix la Chapelle. It was criticised by William Shenstone for appearing too short. There's always one isn't there...?

Anyroadup Lord Archer died in 1768 aged 73. The last Lady Archer died in 1801 and the house remained empty until Umberslade Park was bought by Edward King in 1826. The obelisk is the sole surviving structure from archer's landscape improvements.

In 1850 the land was leased by George Frederic Muntz, Member of Parliament for Birmingham. After his death in 1857 his son George Frederick bought the estate and much enlarged and improved the Hall. During this time Muntz junior had a church built on the estate, Umberslade Baptist Church, which exists to this day separately to the Hall.

In 1881 the household comprised thirty including thirteen resident servants. Frederick Ernest Muntz who succeeded to the estate in 1898 served as High Sheriff of Warwickshire in 1902 and as Deputy Lieutenant. The estate, much reduced, remains in the ownership of the Muntz family.

From the 1960s the Hall was leased out to commercial tenants including from 1967-1972 BSA-Triumph Motorcycles (for their research & development department). BSA -Triumph staff critical of the work produced there nicknamed the facility 'Slumberglade Hall'. In 1978 it was converted into twelve apartments and two mews cottages, and there are lots of lovely photos and history stuff also to be seen on wiki images.......enjoy...I did...

Now of course, we also know that St Philip's Church was designed by Thomas Archer and built between 1711 and 1725. It is one of only a few churches in the English baroque style and one of the smallest cathedrals in England. Archer had visited the great cities of Europe as a young man, and was one of a small number of architects who interpreted the baroque in an English setting. Construction started in 1709 and the church was consecrated in 1715, although lack of funding meant that the tower was unfinished. The church was built in locally-made brick and faced with calcareous limestone from the Archer family's own Rowington quarries on their Umberslade estate. It is thought that much of the timber also came from the Archer estates.

End of....I think.....?


1956890_10202947927210398_6823081420976886700_o.jpg10333734_10202947927370402_8128083092548747247_o.jpg
 
There are a large number of tall obelisks in England and usually on prominent hills that are easily seen. Mostly of a commemorative nature - person or event. However, many churchyards and cemeteries have small versions again of a commemorative purpose.
An side step here about three genuine Egyptian obelisks.
 
Observed the obelisk from a distance, but visited the Baptist Chapel, Christ Church at Umberslade In 2006. Scroll down and click on for three of the Church and one of the obelisk...
 
Thanks for the memory Dennis, I worked at Umberslade Hall 1958-62 when it was being used by Wilmot Breeden as their R&D centre. There are at least two other BHF members who have connections with WB at Umberslade.
 
Interesting article, thanks, Dennis.

Another fragment of Umberslade's history although more about the grounds in general than the obelisk. During WW2 Umberslade was the home of a Home Guard Weaponry School. Here are a few images taken by some Erdington blokes who were on a course there. (More online, if anyone is interested in looking further). It's spring or summer, 1943.

The Hall at the time - a group of officers being taught how to target - an artillery gun set up to fire - and some of the men, finished for the day and mucking about with the help of a bit of the park's statuary.
(Source: John Wright and the staffshomeguard website)

Chris

StatelyHomew700.jpgObservationw700.jpgArtlleryGroup3w700.jpgGroupwithStatuew700.jpg
 
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Brilliant photos, Chris, there must be many more like this hidden away in old boxes of family pictures. I just hope the people in posession of them are aware of their historical value.

Maurice
 
Thanks for kind words. Going a little off-topic, so sorry! But of the several in this sequence (all viewable online) this is the one which I really love. The Erdington blokes, at the end of their course and probably on a Sunday evening, waiting for the train towards Birmingham and home. It's Wood End, the nearest station to Umberslade. A fag and pipe moment. But what have some of them seen above? One of ours? Best to keep an eye on it, just in case.....
(Source: John Wright and the staffshomeguard website)

Chris

PS Leslie Beard, a Great War survivor and aged 45 at this moment, hasn't noticed it yet. Instead he's more interested in us as he stands, holding his cane and looking directly at us. He'll shortly be back home, in Woodacre Road, Erdington, with his wife and daughter and ready for the day job first thing in the morning. He's the only one we so far know in this group. If only there were more!!

Sorry, Dennis, let's get back to Umberslade......

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You're right, Alan. I thought I might have posted it previously but couldn't remember where! I DO like it, though! And going back to sospiri's point, yes, it came out of a private family collection, it hadn't been junked and its owner was generous enough to share it with me and now others.

Back to Umberslade......

Chris
 
To be fair Umberslade only gets a mention due to its Kynoch connection. It is some miles from Birmingham, actually in one of my old stamping grounds.
I am often surprised at the number of photographs - in this case on a railway - during WW2 which the 'powers that be/were' might have considered sensitive. Notable today is the hassle some who take train photographs get due to a perceived terrorist interest. Were things that relaxed then? As most here were very young, or not even born, it is something we maybe have never considered. Whatever it is is much to our benefit here that they exist.
 
Umberslade deserves a mention as it has strong connections to Birmingham through the Muntz family. there is amongst other things Muntz Park, off Umberslade Road in Selly Oak.

One of the country retreats within easy reach of Birmingham.
 
Answer to a curious mystery of mine for many years....finally got round to tracking it down ...
So, you are driving up the M40….coming back from David Cameron's pad in Witney (yes, tea was nice and the pineapple chunks delicious)) and just before you turn right at the M42 Junction for Brum….on your right, you will see a tall obelisk on a hill….a sort of slimmer version of Cleopatra's Needle. The map shows it in a field in Pound House Lane...the photo is by a D3Ron on Flikr...and is stunning...

The exact reason for the erection of this obelisk is unknown as no documentary records survive. The obelisk is in alignment with the East front of Umberslade Park (built in 1695-1700 for Andrew Archer) at the edge of the former 300 acre landscaped park. The obelisk is now separated from the Umberslade Park by the M40.

The Archers came to Britain with William the Conqueror (after 1066) and settled at Umberslade during the reign of Henry II (1154-1189), the first family member to live at Umberslade being Robert Sagittarius (or Robert the Archer).

The obelisk was erected for Thomas Archer, then owner of Umberslade Park, in 1749. It has been suggested that the obelisk is connected with his interest in astronomy. However it is most likely that it was erected to commemorate Thomas Archer's ascension to the peerage, he became the 1st Lord Archer, Baron Umberslade in 1747. It has also been suggested that the obelisk commemorates the defeat of the Jacobites, or the Peace of Aix la Chapelle. It was criticised by William Shenstone for appearing too short. There's always one isn't there...?

Anyroadup Lord Archer died in 1768 aged 73. The last Lady Archer died in 1801 and the house remained empty until Umberslade Park was bought by Edward King in 1826. The obelisk is the sole surviving structure from archer's landscape improvements.

In 1850 the land was leased by George Frederic Muntz, Member of Parliament for Birmingham. After his death in 1857 his son George Frederick bought the estate and much enlarged and improved the Hall. During this time Muntz junior had a church built on the estate, Umberslade Baptist Church, which exists to this day separately to the Hall.

In 1881 the household comprised thirty including thirteen resident servants. Frederick Ernest Muntz who succeeded to the estate in 1898 served as High Sheriff of Warwickshire in 1902 and as Deputy Lieutenant. The estate, much reduced, remains in the ownership of the Muntz family.

From the 1960s the Hall was leased out to commercial tenants including from 1967-1972 BSA-Triumph Motorcycles (for their research & development department). BSA -Triumph staff critical of the work produced there nicknamed the facility 'Slumberglade Hall'. In 1978 it was converted into twelve apartments and two mews cottages, and there are lots of lovely photos and history stuff also to be seen on wiki images.......enjoy...I did...

Now of course, we also know that St Philip's Church was designed by Thomas Archer and built between 1711 and 1725. It is one of only a few churches in the English baroque style and one of the smallest cathedrals in England. Archer had visited the great cities of Europe as a young man, and was one of a small number of architects who interpreted the baroque in an English setting. Construction started in 1709 and the church was consecrated in 1715, although lack of funding meant that the tower was unfinished. The church was built in locally-made brick and faced with calcareous limestone from the Archer family's own Rowington quarries on their Umberslade estate. It is thought that much of the timber also came from the Archer estates.

End of....I think.....?


View attachment 134497View attachment 134496
Another interesting idea is that if you draw a straight line down the long avenue at Umberslade and through the obelisk you meet, in a couple of miles time, Packwood house where there is also an avenue leading up to the house. 96F79B32-506F-4262-B68E-0FB8C27AB1C3.jpeg
 
........containing, as I recall from about 75 years ago, a number of fine conker trees........

(Welcome to the Forum, hughthackway).

Chris
 
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