Manor Farm Park, Birmingham - A wonderful open space!

Manor Farm Park, Northfield with its 50 acres of public open space with woodlands, meadows and a lake is most definitely a gem of a green space with so much to enjoy. 


Manor Farm Park is a stunning location to relax or exercise, enjoy the great outdoors, take in some nature and soak up a bit of fabulous British history and heritage associated with Northfield and the world famous Cadbury family.

Manor Farm Park was once the grounds of Northfield Manor House, the family home of George and Elizabeth Cadbury. 

The park opened to the public in 1951 and there is now a 2 kilometre walking route through the park to enjoy.  See route HERE. 

Manor Farm Park

The lake at Manor Farm Park (December 2019).  Photography by Elliott Brown

 

The park is located on the Bristol Road South in Northfield. There are also entrances to the park from Whitehill Lane, Bell Hill and Manor Farm Drive.

There is a Play Area near the main entrance of the park.

Playground at Manor Farm Park

Play Area at Manor Farm Park (June 2010). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

The Merritt's Brook flows through the park and is part of the Merritt's Brook Greenway.

 

History of Manor Farm Park

It was once the estate of George and Elizabeth Cadbury who lived at the Manor House from 1890, until George's death in 1922, and Dame Elizabeth's death in 1951. A house was recorded of being on the site circa 1750. A London merchant called Daniel Ledsam bought the estate in 1809 and made alterations to the manor house. The house was used during WW2 as a Training Centre for the Friends' Ambulance Unit.  After Dame Elizabeth died, the University of Birmingham took it over, and was converted into a hall of residence by H W Hobbiss.  It was built in the Mock Tudor style. It was Grade A listed, but English Heritage decided against listing it. There was a fire at the house in 2014, and it was partially demolished in 2015. A housing estate was built to the north and north east corners of the park.

The park itself was opened to the public in 1951. A wooden picnic barn was built in 1894 (as a gift from the Cadbury's) for school children to enjoy tea and refreshments and a day in the countryside. About a century later it got quite derelict, and there was hopes from the local community to restore it. But it was sadly burnt down by arsonists in 2017 and was later demolished.

Wooden Barn at Manor Farm Park

The wooden barn at Manor Farm Park (June 2010). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

There is also farm buildings at the main entrance from the Bristol Road South (sometimes also called White Hill here). They have been unused for a long time, but it is hoped to one day restore them and open them as a cafe and community centre of some kind.

Farm Buildings at Manor Farm Park

Farm Buildings at Manor Farm Park (June 2010). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

Winter at Manor Farm Park

Manor Farm Park

Trees shed their leaves in Manor Farm Park (December 2019). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

Spring at Manor Farm Park

Manor Farm Park

The Merritt's Brook Greenway in Manor Farm Park (April 2017). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

Summer at Manor Farm Park

Manor Farm Park

Lush green trees in the summer at Manor Farm Park (June 2010). Photography by Elliott Brown

 

Autumn at Manor Farm Park

Manor Farm Park

The lake at Manor Farm Park (November 2018). Photography by Jay Mason-Burns

Project dates

23 Jul 2019 - On-going

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09 Dec 2019 - Elliott Brown
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Return to Manor Farm Park at the beginning of December 2019

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Went back to Northfield on Sunday 1st December 2019. And while there thought I might as well do an up-to-date walk around Manor Farm Park. Headed down Bell Hill to the entrance I used 2 years earlier. Then headed to the left path. Eventually passing the lake. Then near the housing development before checking out the old farm buildings again. The barn was demolished and now is a car park.

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Return to Manor Farm Park at the beginning of December 2019





Went back to Northfield on Sunday 1st December 2019. And while there thought I might as well do an up-to-date walk around Manor Farm Park. Headed down Bell Hill to the entrance I used 2 years earlier. Then headed to the left path. Eventually passing the lake. Then near the housing development before checking out the old farm buildings again. The barn was demolished and now is a car park.


Aware that the Cadbury barn had burnt down and also the Northfield Manor House (probably both by arsonists / kids), it was time to have another walk into Manor Farm Park.

Walked down Bell Hill and got in again via the entrance close to Shenley Lane. Two years back I think I went right towards Whitehilll Lane. This time I took the left path for the first time.

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A new sign at the junction of the paths. Has a donut shaped sign saying Manor Farm Park.

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The path heads straight then curves around a bit between the trees.

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Near the end of the first path. Over a small footbridge that crosses a stream. This is the route of the Merritts Brook Greenway towards Bournville and Kings Heath.

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Turning right, I headed straight down before turning left. Had to see the lake again.

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I mainly passed the lake from the main path and not from the path that goes around it. Saw a pair of moorhens here.

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A variety of gulls and geese in the lake.

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Leaves on the ground on the opposite bank of the lake. Was still thinking of going all the way around the lake at this point.

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Canada geese swimming to the right in the lake.

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Nice sight of a tufted duck.

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View of the tree island in the middle of the lake, to the left. It was around an hour and a half before sunset. The trees made nice reflections in the lake.

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After I exited onto Manor House Drive saw this waterfall behind some trees.

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Trying to get back into the park. I went around Middlepark Drive, and saw this pyramid climbing frame on the other side of the fence.

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Heading back towards White Hill from Griffin Drive. Leaves on the lawn. Before I got a bus back to Selly Oak I first wanted to go back to the main entrance.

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Made it back to the main entrance of Manor Farm Park from White Hill. The old farm buildings look mostly the same. Other than one of the buildings on the right might have been demolished. Really headed back this way to see what had happened to the site of the Cadbury barn.

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In the years since the fire that gutted the Cadbury barn, it looks like it has been sadly demolished. There is now a car park here. The sign on the right looks relatively new though.

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May have been a cold Sunday afternoon, but was still kids playing in the playground watched over by their parents.

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The view into the park from the car park. Not far from the former site of the Cadbury barn.

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There was this open garden to the back of the boarded up gatehouse or lodge. Nothing much to see in late autumn / early winter. The old farm buildings were to the left.

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Zoom in of the boarded up gatehouse or lodge. From the other side it was covered in graffiti. All the doors and windows were boarded or blocked off. Hopeully the Council could do something with this and all the other surviving farm buildings here.

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Previous post here with photos taken between 2010 and 2017: Manor Farm Park: a park down the Bristol Road South I've always considered to be in Northfield.

 

Photos taken by Elliott Brown.

Follow me on Twitter here ellrbrown.

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Green open spaces
12 Nov 2019 - Elliott Brown
Gallery

Manor Farm Park: a park down the Bristol Road South I've always considered to be in Northfield

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I first went to Manor Farm Park in June 2010. Thought there would be views of the skyline (but there weren't). The park has a large pond that runs near the Merritt's Brook. The Bristol Road South runs past (at White Hill). Always thought it to be in Northfield, although Bournville isn't that far away. The Cadbury's used to have a house on the land of Northfield Manor House.

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Manor Farm Park: a park down the Bristol Road South I've always considered to be in Northfield





I first went to Manor Farm Park in June 2010. Thought there would be views of the skyline (but there weren't). The park has a large pond that runs near the Merritt's Brook. The Bristol Road South runs past (at White Hill). Always thought it to be in Northfield, although Bournville isn't that far away. The Cadbury's used to have a house on the land of Northfield Manor House.


Manor Farm Park is a 50 acre open space with woodlands, meadows and a lake. The park opened to the public in 1951 and was originally the grounds of Northfield Manor House.

My first full visit to the park was back in June 2010. I never did find the manor house at the time. But then there was probably no public access. Looking on Google Maps Street View, there is security barriers on the roads that I think probably led to the house. Sadly arsonists burnt down the house years ago and it is now demolished.

George and Elizabeth Cadbury lived in the house that they called Manor Farm. George Cadbury bought the house in 1890, moving in there in 1894. They lived there together until George's death in 1922. Elizabeth continued to live there until her own death in 1951. It was acquired by the University of Birmingham in 1953. The fire happened there in 2014, and there was a partial demolition in 2015. It was located up Manor House Drive.

 

June 2010

My first full walk around the park near Northfield. Getting on from the Bristol Road South in Northfield (shows up as White Hill on Google Maps). At look at Whitehill Lane which curves around past the park.

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No paths on this section, so had to walk over the field part of the park past the trees.

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In the lake / pond was some Canada geese.

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They do have paths in the park, this one near the trees and shrubs.

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Also saw a swan in the lake at the time.

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The lake / pond in the park. A path does go around it on both sides. They lead to the roads that probably led to the Cadbury's old house.

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I took the exit to the road that leads to the car park near White Hill. Before I left saw this old wooded barn.

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Glad that I got photos of this barn, as arsonists sadly burnt it down in 2017. Historic Cadbury park set for revamp after £250,000 barn fire payout.

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The barn was built by the Cadbury's in 1895. The Friends of Manor Farm Park had hoped to restore the barn before the fire. It was hoped that the building could be restored, but it's future is uncertain at the moment.

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Saw these old farm buildings on the way out.

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Hopefully they could be restored and turned into a cafe, toilets and a public space.

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I'm not sure if they were in use back in 2010 or not. Looked derelict. The park and the buildings have been owned by the City Council since the 1950s.

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June 2011

Since I initial visit, I have not been back to the park that much. This is actually a recreation ground in Northfield, taken during a walk down to Longbridge. Coming up on Google Maps as Hilltop Park.

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A playground in this recreation ground, just seen in passing at the time. Google Maps calls this a Play Park.

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March 2012

I can confirm that this is from or near Manor Farm Park. This was during a walk from the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital to the demolished former Bournville College. A squirrel on the leaf covered lawn.

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This was near the Bristol Road South / White Hill in Northfield (I did not actually enter the park at this time).

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Purple crocuses growing out of the grass at the beginning of Spring.

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Another squirrel.

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April 2017

My last actual visit to Manor Farm Park was during a walk on the Merritt's Brook Greenway. Probably starting at the new Starbucks Drive Thru in Northfield, I headed up towards Ley Hill Park, then across the Merritt's Brook Greenway, until I crossed over the road on Shenley Lane, and into the park.

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Newly laid paths takes you into the park from here.

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Footbridge over the Merritt's Brook.

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A look from the footbridge at the Merritt's Brook.

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I was now heading through the park up Whitehill Lane. Daffodils lining the roadside.

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Up Whitehill Lane back to the Bristol Road South / White Hill.

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Saw this man with a metal detector. Did he find anything?

dndimg alt="Manor Farm Park" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Manor Farm Park (April 2017) (7) .jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Photos taken by Elliott Brown.

Follow me on Twitter here ellrbrown.

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