We’re very proud of Baskerville Hall. Apart from the high standard of accommodation and excellent location it’s got a really cool name!

The property, a three storey Victorian Villa designed by prominent Worcester architect Alfred Hill Parker, was commissioned in July 1894 by local solicitor John Stallard on an area of former woodland called The Shrubbery. The first occupant however appears to have been Francis Ronald Jeffery, another local solicitor, and his family. We don’t know when it was finished but we think within a few years or so later, around 1895/97.

The property had 13 bedrooms, three dressing rooms, three WC’s (one outside) and one bathroom. Reception rooms included dining, drawing and morning rooms, plus a play room and school room for the children. The extensive cellar area included a larder and wine store, as befitted a family of the Jeffery’s standing.

Records in between are scarce but we know that prior to our latest refurbishment the Hall contained some 30 student letting rooms with three shared shower/washrooms, eight WC’s and four kitchens. The outside coal store and WC was now a lounge, and the school room and play room were bedrooms.

The big change came in 2015 and 2016 when the now empty student halls were bought with the sole intention of providing specialised supported housing for some of the city’s most vulnerable. The massive conversion saw the creation of 12 luxury self contained flats with central heating and double glazing. Assistive technology was fitted throughout, as was a bespoke fire alarm and communications system. To help those with physical disabilities the front door and internal ground floor doors are operated by remote key fobs. Wet rooms are fitted to many flats, ground floor flats have level access and height adjustable rise and fall worktops and hobs. Provision is made onsite for care staff with a sleep in room, shower, kitchen and break out rooms. Our developers even managed along the way to save and restore some of the original flooring and woodwork.

What was the basement larder is now a kitchen, the wine cellar houses the flats’ water meters, the outside coal store and WC is a wetroom, the school room a flat and the play room is care staff accommodation.

Originally, upon refurbishment, the Council changed the name of the property. After negotiations with the Council we have managed to change it back: Baskerville Hall is reborn.