XD32B
PAPURAU YSTAD POOLEY HALL, SWYDD WARWICK (Rhan o archif Cefnamwlch a’r Foelas)
POOLEY HALL, WARWICKSHIRE, ESTATE PAPERS (A section of the Cefnamwlch and Voelas archive)
The manor of Pooley Hall, in the parish of Polesworth, Warvickshire, was brought into the Wynne family by the Hon. Charles Finch (second son of Heneage, 3rd Earl of Aylesford) who married Jane Wynne of Voelas in 1778. He had inherited Pooley and other lands (including Ratcliffe Culey, Leics.) from his godfather, Charles Jennens of Gopsall Hall, Leicestershire, who died in 1773. Charles Finch’s son, Charles Wynne Finch, assumed the names of Griffith Wynne in lieu of Finch. His eldest son, Charles, assumed by Royal Licence in 1863 the surname of Wynne Finch.
According to the Victoria County History of Warwickshire, Pooley Hall was rebuilt by Thomas Cokayne in 1509 as a ’semi-defensive demesne’. The house which he built was probably much larger than the existing remains at the end of the 19th century. It included a Great Hall, chapel, and a three-storied tower. The building was of stone and brick, with embattled parapets. In a letter dated 30th May 1892 (XD32B/45), J.H. James wrote to Col. Wynne Finch ’I quite understand your feeling on the subject of preserving the architectural features of the place, altho’ of course for any practical purpose these battlements are of no use!’ (The exclamation mark was added by Col. Wynne Finch.)
A letter from J.H. James (the estate’s managing agent) to Col. Wynne Finch, 1st June 1900 (XD32B/47) states that the sinking of Pooley Colliery commenced in 1847 and was completed in 1849; drawing of coal began in 1850. As early as 1832 a previous agent, Thomas Wilmot, had discussed (in a letter to Charles Wynne Griffith Wynne, XB32B/32) the possible advantages to be gained from coal mining at Pooley. The mine was particularly well situated, being only 400 yards from Polesworth station on the LNWR line from London to Crewe, and also being close to the Coventry canal which crossed the Pooley estate.
The documents have, where possible, been kept in their original bundles. Bundles XD32B/1 and XD32B/29-32 inclusive were originally wrapped together in a parcel. Some items of a similar nature, for example accounts, have been catalogued together even when not found as bundles (such items are not described in the catalogue as, for example, BUNDLE of Accounts, but simply as ACCOUNTS.
Although correspondence relating mainly to Pooley Hall Colliery has been listed separately, the Pooley Hall Estate correspondence does include many references to the colliery.
Cyngor Gwynedd