Overview

Standing in 15 acres of landscaped gardens, in the Shropshire countryside, the Manor House has a long history, being built in 1630. It is now a grade 11 listed building on the national heritage list. ALBRIGHTON village itself is mentioned in the doomsday book as Etbritone, then later named as Eadbutton in 1167, as Albricton in 1221, Adbrighton in 1279, and finally as ALBRIGHTON in 1541. It lies near the battle of Shrewsbury fields in 1403. The estate was lived in by the Ireland family for five generations, from about 1510 until 1804. A David Ireland and his son, Thomas Ireland, the High sheriff of Shropshire, started re-building a house here in 1630, when he bought the house for £292.69 from the crown where a far older house once stood. He had married Jane Dutton of Hatton Hall in Cheshire. After many family members had inherited the Manor, it finally came into the hands of a Thomas Ireland and his wife Mary. When he died their son Thomas Pershall Ireland inherited, but he had not married, so following his death his mother Mary took over ownership, until she died in 1796. After the last of the Ireland family, a John Ireland, a nephew sold the property, the family line finally ran out and it passed back to the Crown, before being sold to the Reverend Inigo William in 1804. Now followed a period of many owners or tenants until a medical doctor, John Arthur Gwynn Sparrow inherited the manor, and he became the High sheriff of Shropshire in 1930. He sold the hall in 1953 to the Royal National college for the blind, before it was converted to open as the college for the Blind. One well known resident was the Rt Hon David Blunkett MP who stayed here during the 1960’s. During the late 1990’s ALBRIGHTON Hall was bought by the Macdonald Hotel group. Then in April 2007 the MERCURE group bought the hotel. ALBRIGHTON HALL had gardens and woodland, with 7 acres of land to wander around in, which sadly had lost a lot of appeal, but they had it restored and now have a small lake and pond, an island and rose garden, including a kitchen garden which they use to grow food for the restaurant. OUR REVIEW We arrived by following the directions for reception, but later found out it would be better for disabled to have turned left at driveway junction, and followed directions TO THE SPA. We suggest you do the same, and park up at the SPA car park. However, we went straight ahead, and passed the gardens by the car park, which were very nice with a lovely pond and fountain, and well maintained (photo 1) Where we parked, with no disabled bays (photo 2) was a long way from hotels entrance, it was up quite a steep hill and very difficult for wheelchair to be pushed up and a very long walk, not ideal, and something we would not like to have to do again, so please use our directions for SPA CAR PARK. Then we went along to pass a very pleasant terrace (3) which was in a nice warm area and headed for the red carpeted reception steps. There are to many steps to climb though, which leads into the pleasant Foyer (4) and along to a very plain reception desk (5). However, for the disabled there is another doorway next to steps, on the level, with a slight ramp (6) but an awkward step to get over at the door. This entrance led into the bar lounge (7). A nice flower display in a glass case (8) which we thought might have been a lift, but we had been told by gardener was out of order, but it wasn’t the lift, and no sign anyway to say where lift was, we never saw it. Ahead we found four high steps, with grab handle, (9) which led up to toilets and reception desk, but no ramp in sight, and to steep anyway to use one. The toilets were just plain public toilets, ladies and gents (10) no disabled, with normal cubicles, a wheelchair would not get inside (11) and deco was just plain, but clean (12). Leading off from reception desk was a passageway (13) with a sign for restaurant (14) and we found the Oak Room Restaurant, a beautiful olde worlde wooden panelled attractive dining room (15) with a huge ornate fireplace which took centre stage (16) and the elegant dining room, delightfully panelled showed the age of this lovely old building (17). A corridor then continued to a very nice old staircase, (18) no use to us, but we never saw a sign for any lift, Obut a side a door led into a very nice Afternoon Tea Room (photo 19) and people enjoying their treat said was very good, worth bearing in mind. Again this was panelled wood and also ornate, and although a smaller room, it would be a delight to enjoy afternoon tea here. We then returned to the Bar for a well earned drink. WE HAVE CONTINUED REVIEWING THIS HOTEL WITH OUR PART TWO REVIEW., “Let’s do Lunch” OUR FINAL THOUGHTS. Disappointing parking arrangement for disabled, and we feel the hotel is just not wheelchair friendly, and we were not impressed with the disabled facilities, which for us was non existent, but able bodied visitors may find the hotel worthy of a visit. Unfortunately, my husband became quite ill during our visit and we had to make a quick retreat so as to get him home, so we never managed to see other areas of the hotel we wanted to review for you, which would have included other entrances into the hotel which may have been more helpful for disabled, and we missed the health club and Spa, but we still feel we could not really recommend this hotel as a disabled attraction.

Transport & Parking

As you arrive towards the house you natuarally follow signs straight ahead for reception, which takes you into a reasonably big car park, but there are no disabled bays here. If we had known, we would have turned left at a junction in the grounds itself, marked for Spa, and that would have given us a far easier entry into the hotel. For the reason we did not know about this entrance, we have dropped marks to 3.5 overall. This left turn for the Spa is reviewed in PART TWO of ALBRIGHTON HALL.

Access

Very poor disabled access, starting with reception car park. There are no bays for us, and it was a hard long uphill push from car park up to reception entrance, but fortunately, beyond the hefty steps to get up into reception, there is a separate level doorway for wheelchairs which took us into the Bar lounge, but now, to get up to reception desk, you had a number of quite high steps to contend with, so basically it means that a disabled person has to be contend with staying in the Bar lounge area, and that is not very inspiring anyway, so the hotel let’s disabled down quite badly.

Toilets

No accessible toilets, just plain ladies and gents, and if you are wheelchair bound, they are of no use to us at all, you have high steps to get up, no ramp provided, as far to steep anyway, so I’m afraid it’s cross your legs and hope time. The toilets are just normal cubicle sizes, so it means getting up out of chair, no pull cords or grab rails, and two doors have to be pushed to get inside toilet area. Very disappointing .

Staff

Friendly and helpful, but to few to be seen, which meant service was very slow, and had to go to counter of bar to order drinks and food, which is not helpful when you are old and tired. The young man tried his best, none stop work, so well done to him, but it needs improving.

Photos