The Castle About 3/4 Mile East Of Hagley Hall

The Castle, located about three-quarters of a mile east of Hagley Hall, is a ruined castle folly that was started in 1747 by Sanderson Miller for George, First Lord Lyttleton. It features mid-19th century additions and late 20th century alterations. The structure is built from sandstone ashlar and coursed dressed sandstone rubble, with sandstone ashlar dressings and slate roofs.

The castle has a rectangular plan with four round corner towers. The northwest tower is the only complete one, standing four storeys tall, while the other towers are left in a deliberately ruinous state, ranging from one to two storeys. Designed in the Gothick style, the northwest tower has small rectangular and lancet windows on the lower floors, with large pointed windows on the fourth floor. Attached to the southeast is a taller stair turret that intersects with the tower; both the tower and turret feature corbelled and embattled parapets. The other towers have small rectangular and square openings. The linking walls are intentionally left in a ruinous condition, but the west wall is nearly complete and includes three tall pointed windows, a pointed doorway beneath the central window, and three shield reliefs above the doorway.

Inside, the principal room on the fourth floor of the northwest tower boasts a domed ceiling adorned with Gothick plaster decoration, featuring cusped pointed niches that alternate with the windows, and a quatrefoil containing a coat of arms above the door. Within the courtyard, next to the northwest tower, there is a 19th century single-storey building with a shallow-pitched hipped slate roof. This building has a single bay, with a three-light casement featuring a four-centred head and latticed lights on the south elevation, along with an entrance that has a gabled rustic timber porch. The castle is said to incorporate medieval masonry from the remains of Halesowen Abbey and is the largest building in Hagley Park.