Blakesley Hall

Blakesley Hall in Yardley is one of the Midlands’ most charming timber‑framed houses, a beautifully preserved example of Tudor domestic architecture built in 1590 for the merchant Richard Smalbroke. Its distinctive black‑and‑white façade, projecting upper floors and tranquil gardens make it feel like a rural manor despite its urban surroundings. Inside, the hall is furnished to evoke late‑16th‑ and early‑17th‑century life. The Great Hall, with its long table and imposing fireplace, shows how prosperous families entertained guests. The Parlour offers a more intimate glimpse of daily routines, featuring oak furniture, textiles and objects that reflect rising middle‑class comfort. One of the most interesting features is the painted chamber, where decorative wall motifs reveal Tudor tastes for pattern and symbolism. Visitors can explore the kitchen with its original hearth, utensils and food preparation tools, illustrating how households managed cooking before modern conveniences. The upstairs rooms include a recreated bedchamber and displays on the Smalbroke family, shedding light on trade, status and domestic life in Elizabethan Birmingham.