Occupants of the Old Cottage

Diminishing income from their lands and properties caused the Pagets to sell estates, 1919 – 1926, and move to Plas Newydd, Anglesey.

Beaudesert Hall was stripped of its contents and fittings and left to the elements; little now remains.

Most of the ancient oaks of Cannock Chase, were felled in the Tudor period by Fulke Greville.  However, ‘The Chase’ is still full of the beauty expected of an AONB.

1819: Thos Harvey, of Fair Oak Lodge, managed the ‘Dog Kennel’, but didn’t live in it! Presumably, “the dogs”, were the hunting dogs of the Marquis of Anglesey, a further title of the Pagets.

1831: Still called ‘Dog Kennel’

1841: Thomas Cockayne

1851:.xxxxxxx

1861:.xxxxxxx   

1871:.xxxxxxx  

1881-1901 Shemwells colliers from Derbyshire

1911: Wm Bartram                  

Pre-1920 – 1990: The Keeling family. The Old Cottage was purchased by Edw. James Keeling, the tenant, in 1920, for £200. Three generations of his family lived in the Old Cottage.

1990  > Michael  Dawson & Carol (nee Ensor) married 13.04.1963 at Heron Court Congregational Church Rugeley.

They bought the ‘Old Cottage’ by auction at Eton Lodge Hotel, Rugeley  in  July 1990

Baron  Paget de Beaudesert

(1506 – 9 June 1563), was an English statesman who held prominent positions in the service of three Tudor monarchs, Henry V111, Edward V1 and Mary

Born in Staffordshire, he was the son of William Paget, one of the serjeants-at-mace of the city of London.The apocryphal story says that his ancestors were nail makers  from Wednesbury.

In 1549 William was summoned by writ to the House of Lords as Baron Paget de Beaudesert. About the same time he obtained extensive grants of lands, including Cannock Chase.