'Magical' mansion up for £1m

A "magical" stately home that once belonged to a former mayor of Walsall is up for sale for £1million.

Chalford, built around 1880, belonged to the late Councillor Herbert Smith who lived without heating, electricity or any mod cons with his family up until his death in December 2002.

An auction at the house last month uncovered dozens of historic treasures, selling off furniture, fittings and toys that he had amassed over decades.

Now Mr Smith's family and trustees of the house have put Chalford itself on the market too with Walsall-based chartered surveyors Llewellen and estate agents Quantrills. It includes 1.6 acres of land.

Mr Smith's daughter Lindsay Brown, aged 45, who was born at the house and still lives at her childhood home with her husband Michael today said it would be heartbreaking to sell the property, but the time had come to pass the "magical" house on.

She and her husband as well as her mother Marilyn are all to move to Gloucestershire to start a new life away from Chalford. And she opened up her family photo album which charts the quintessential English upbringing she and her family had at the sprawling mansion.

She said: "I have very fond memories of it, it was a world apart, a completely different way of life to any of my friends.

"Dad did not believe in inviting anyone around to the house; it was our refuge against the outside world. It was a most magical place to be, we used every inch of the house. It was Narnia in Four Oaks."

The fascinating images show how Chalford remained largely untouched since Councillor Smith took it over.

Lazy Sundays would be spent feeding the many hens and ducks that waddled around the grounds while some weekends croquet matches would be played on the lawn.

Nowadays the house has electricity and central heating, but still retains many of its old features. "It is more of a comfortable Narnia these days," Mrs Brown added.

"It will be hard to leave, especially for me because I think I loved it most after my dad. But the time has come to pass it on and let someone else enjoy the magic of Chalford."

Sonja Howell, managing director of Llewellen, said: "It is a very special place and holds a lot of history in the area.

"We have had a lot of interest and over a dozen viewings already."

Mr Smith and his wife moved into Chalford, a classically rambling, manor-style property in the late 1940s.

The previous occupants, a group of American servicemen billeted there during the war, found it so draughty that they slept in their overcoats.

But Mr Smith, a councillor for the old Bridge ward and Paddock ward from 1949 until his death in 2002 and awarded an OBE for services to local government in 1962, had his own philosophy regarding the cold.

He would advise his wife, daughter Lindsay, son Julian and bewildered visitors to "move energetically and dress warmly".

Mr Smith's surviving wife Marilyn said: "My husband was in favour of healthy living, shall we say. It was lovely in the summer but a bit hairy in the winter."

Anyone interested in buying Chalford should call 0121 354 9229.