Sir Gilbert Gerard
purchased the manor of Bromley in 1564.
He built the mansion
around 1575.
The surviving porch
has a stone dated 1584.
Sir Gilbert died 1593, probably here.
It was seat of
Barons Gerard (created 1603).
James I
paid a Royal visit to the house on 26 Aug 1617,
during the time of
Thomas Gerard, 1st Baron Gerard,
and stayed two nights.
A print survives from 1686.
The mansion was demolished in the 1750s.
Outbuildings survive today.
Also
the porch
was saved and is elsewhere.
See
Gerrard's Bromley Hall - the site today.
See Google Maps
and streetmap.co.uk.
Gerrard's Bromley Hall.
Close-up of the above print of 1686.
See full size.
Detail of the above.
The dedication is to Digby Gerard, 5th Baron Gerard,
though he died 1684, shortly before publication.
See full size.
"Gerards Bromley" is mentioned (sometime in 1603 to 1618) in
Britannia by
William Camden.
This was written in Latin and ran through various editions from 1586 to 1607.
English edition pub 1610.
Camden died 1623.
The above is from
p.638
of 1722 edition.
The text should have "was" corrected to "is",
which dates the original text to 1603 (title created) to 1618 (1st Baron dies).
Probably 1610.
Some massive oak beams were saved from the mansion and used in the
George Inn, Wolverhampton.
The above extract
from p.387
of [Staffordshire Directory, 1818]
shows that Wolverhampton then had two pubs called The George,
and one pub called The George and Dragon.
So more information is needed.
Extracts from pp.99-100 of
A survey of Staffordshire by Sampson Erdeswick
with additions by Thomas Harwood (1844).
Site of
Gerrard's Bromley Hall.
Entrance from SW. Old farm buildings and gate into site of demolished mansion.
Then round the corner to the E is the farmhouse
(about as old as the mansion, still stands).
From old map.
Surveyed: 1879.
Published: 1889.
The location today.
From Google Maps.
See street view
of SW entrance.
The "Book of Sports"
was a declaration of James I,
listing the sports and recreations that were permitted on Sundays and other holy days.
The original "Book of Sports" is dated from
Gerrard's Bromley Hall, 27 Aug 1617, during the Royal visit.
It is signed by
Sir Thomas Lake, the secretary of state.
This laid out rules for Lancashire in 1617 (later extended to England in 1618).
The above is from
p.xxiv and
p.xxvi
of
The Record Society for the Publication of Original Documents relating to Lancashire and Cheshire,
Vol.XLII (1901).
Centre of the hunting frieze.
Photo 2018.
See full size.
RHS of the hunting frieze.
Photo 2018.
See full size.
Close-up of figure on horseback.
Photo 2018.
See full size.
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