Great Barr Hall and its associated lakes and historic parkland lies just off Junction 7 of the M6. The site is of international importance through its substantial links with the celebrated Lunar Society of Birmingham, “…the most remarkable group of thinkers and inventors in the eighteenth century, which had a more potent effect upon civilisation than that of any other society in history.” The landscape is also on the English Heritage Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest—it was worked on by both William Shenstone and Humphry Repton.
You might expect that the elevated status of this site, coupled with statutory protections, would have been some insurance against dereliction and despoilment. Sadly, that has not been the case and the long-term survival of this unique heritage asset is far from certain, despite a concerted campaign over nearly two decades by the Great Barr Hall Action Committee.
