13 January 2015
Last updated at 16:25

The trust says the hall has been completely cut off by the council

A “unique” Grade II-listed country house in Staffordshire has been cut off to visitors by a neighbouring council’s highway works.

Middleton Hall, near Tamworth, says it could lose “thousands of pounds” as a result of the two-and-a-half week works by Warwickshire County Council.

The property, parts of which date back to Norman times, is run by a charitable trust.

The council said the maintenance work was “essential”.

Jo Walker, general manager at Middleton Hall, said she discovered the A4091, which leads to the hall, had been closed on Monday and not due to reopen until 20 January.

History of the hall

During Tudor times, Elizabeth I stayed at the hall

• Middleton Hall was built for Philip de Marmion in about 1285
• During Tudor times, Elizabeth I stayed there
• Examples of the buildings from each phase of the hall’s existence can still be seen
• In the second part of the 20th Century the site was exploited for the extraction of sand and gravel and the house was allowed to deteriorate
• The hall was on English Heritage’s At Risk register but has been restored by volunteers

“It’s obviously planned but we have had no notification of it,” she said.

“We are a small charitable trust and we rely on income from visitors and our monthly market, which we may have to cancel.

“We also have a number of small start-up businesses operating in our stable units and, at the moment, their customers can’t get to them without passing a ‘road closed’ sign.”

The council said the road closure, which included “tree work” and drain cleaning was “essential”.

“Local residents and businesses were made aware of this planned closure, via newspaper advertising and a letter drop in the immediate area,” a representative said.

“However in response to the concerns raised today extra signs are currently being made and should go up today stating that Middleton Hall is open as normal.”