Elford

Elford is a village and civil parish in Lichfield District, Staffordshire, England. It is situated on the east bank of the River Tame, about 5mi east of the City of Lichfield and 5 miles north of Tamworth.OriginsThe village is said to have derived its name from the great number of eels with which the river here formerly abounded. Before the Norman conquest this manor belonged to Ælfgār, Earl of Mercia. In the reign of Henry III, it was held by William de Arderne, whose descendants continued to enjoy it till the marriage of Maud, sole heiress of Sir John Arderne, with Thomas, second son of Sir John Stanley, of Latham, carried it into that family.BuildingsElford Hall was a mansion, erected about 1758. The Hall and much of the surrounding land was bequeathed, unexpectedly and much to the chagrin of his family, by the owner Mr Paget to 'the People of Birmingham'. It was intended to be used as leisure facilities or for day trips for the people of Birmingham. By the 1960s, it was torn down. Few reminders of it remain today, but those which do, including a walled garden, are currently the subject of demands for a return to 'the People of Elford'.Elford House, a Victorian property remains. Elford House was built by the Webb family in the late 19th century. The initials of some family members can still be seen engraved into the wall near the rear patio.