Red House Park

Red House Park is a park in Great Barr, Sandwell, England.

The Red House

Within the park is The Red House, a country house built in the 1841 for the then Liberal MP for Walsall, Robert Wellbeloved Scott, and stood in his 27-acre estate. It is now a Grade II listed building.

Previously used as a convalescent home, the house is now owned by Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council and leased to the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers, but is in a poor state of repair. The council proposes to sell it for development as private apartments, but this is opposed by nearby residents.

Obelisk

The park includes an obelisk, in memory of Princess Charlotte.

Cave

The Park is also home to two small tunnel like structures known locally, and referred to on maps as, Hermit's Cave.

External links

* [http://www.redhousepark.org.uk Friends of Red House Park ]

Romance and mystery surrounds the history of the hermitage. Though it was only part of the ornamental scheme of the gardens there is a traditional story that a man alleged to have committed a murder and was condemned to live in the hermitage for 77 years to expiate the crime. But he only lived three years, then two other members of his family had to succeed him to complete the term!

Though, of course, there is probably much more tradition than truth in that story a later episode is more easily verifiable. Some few years ago the Wednesbury district suffered a succession of rather unusual robberies, and for a long time the thieves could not be traced. Eventually some clue led the police to the Red House and there, in one of the caves near a pool, a number of youths were found, together with the "booty".

Unfortunately the hermit's caves have been somewhat damaged by children.