Ford Green Hall is a Grade II* listed farmhouse and historic house museum in Smallthorne, Stoke-on-Trent. The oldest parts of the house date from the late 16th century.
The description given by Historic England reads as follows;
"STOKE ON TRENT, SMALLTHORNE, Ford Green Road (North West side), Ford Green Hall and attached wall and dovecote
Grade II*
Former farmhouse, now museum. Late C16, with one wing added or replaced in early C18. Timber-framed with close studding to ground floor and small panels with lozenge and balustrading decoration above, on stone plinth and with plain tiled roofs. 2-storeyed with attics; plan of hall and two cross wings with baffle entry, the wings dominating. Left-hand wing has large 3-light mullioned window to ground floor, windows of two and three lights in upper storey, jettied on moulded beam with enriched bosses at angles. The attic is also jettied out. Central bay has moulded beam carrying jettied upper section, and a 3-light mullioned window to ground floor, two windows above. Projecting 2-storeyed gabled porch to the right of this bay, with doorway in side wall. Over the inner door is inscribed "Ralph Sutton, Carpenter". Right-hand wing is a brick addition dated on a rainwater head, 1734 with initials H.F., probably replacing an original structure. Chimney in front coped gabled wall, flanked by mullioned and transomed windows. Rear elevation of central section and timber cross wing framed with close studding to ground floor and square panels above with arch and tension bracing. Lower brick range added to SW, dated 1728: a single-storeyed bay now open to the roof, though once with floor and attic.
Adjoining this, a brick garden wall links the house to the dovecote, also early C18, a circular structure with conical plain tiled roof.
INTERIOR of house: internal doorways on ground floor are ogival moulded archways with fleur de lys capping. Deep moulded beam with ogival chamfer stops in central bay. Fireplace in hall taken from Alton Towers. Panelled parlour, the panelling probably inserted in early C18. Two hollow-chamfered beams, carried on corbels. Staircase possibly original, or early C17, with splat balusters and newel posts with acorn caps. Queen-strut roof construction in timber-framed sections, Queen-post and strut in C18 range.
Listing NGR: SJ8873950860" SOURCE: (
visit link)
"Ford Green Hall was built in 1624 for Hugh Ford. It is a fine example of a timber-framed farm house. The Ford family lived at the Hall for nearly 200 years. Mr Ford was a yeoman dairy farmer and owned 36 acres of land.
A porch was added around 1630 and brick extensions built in 1728 and 1734. The older building is of wattle & daub manufacture. This was a process using woven twigs and branches together with manure.
In the 19th century after the Ford family left the status of the house declined and it was divided into 3 and later 4 cottages that were occupied by miners.
It was purchased by the council in 1946 and opened as museum in 1952.
The Hall is now an award-winning museum run by a charitable organisation, that offers visitors a fascinating insight into the life of the 17th century. The rooms are furnished with an outstanding collection of textiles, ceramics and furniture." (
visit link)
There is also an 18th-century dovecote in the grounds, which shares the listed building status of the main farmhouse.
The whole of the museum's collection is "Designated Outstanding" by the Arts Council England, recognising it as of world class importance.
The shop and tea room are open to non-museum visitors and there is a free car park available on site.
Open Sunday – Thursday 1:00pm – 4:00pm Last admission to look round the Hall 3:30pm
Prices
£9.00 family admission (2 adults + 2 children)
£3.50 adult admission
£2.50 concessions
£2.50 children aged 5 and over Under 5s free.
(
visit link)
(
visit link)
(
visit link)