Beaudesert (house)

Beaudesert (house)

Beaudesert was an estate and stately home on the southern edge of Cannock Chase in Staffordshire. It was one of the family seats of the Paget family, the Marquesses of Anglesey. The estate was obtained by William Paget, 1st Baron Paget in 1546; the family's other main seat is at Plas Newydd.

The estate was broken up by the 6th Marquess of Anglesey due to financial difficulties; as a result the furniture was sold off and the fabric of the hall and stables went to auction. Some of the furnishings of the house, including oak panelling and the Waterloo Staircase were taken to Carrick Hill in Adelaide, South Australia. Demolition began in 1935; however, it was never completed and some ruins remain standing.

Today some of the former estate land is used as a Scout and Guide camp and a local wildlife trust and new buildings are used for residential courses. The Grand Lodge built in 1814 still stands at the entrance on Horsey Lane, east of the ruins.

Read more about Beaudesert (house):  History, The Mansion, The Gardens, Restoration