Sheldon (Warks.)

Machitone in Domesday Book, modern Mackadown, is the manor later called Sheldon. Its ancient bounds were the Cole, Hatchford and Elmdon Brooks, and the Yardley and Lyndon bounds. When Sheldon entered B'ham in 1931 Wells Green and Kingshurst were left out. The first village was near the sandy area in the, where the first open fields were made. Elder, Rye-Eddish, and Riddings. Other fields were made beyond these, with meadows and pastures. Platt Brook's boggy valley divided the Manor in two. Another settlement and field-meadows-pasture pattern was made in the south - Greatock, Sheldon and Hatchford Fields - and the church of St. Giles were built there. The Norman lords lived in West Hall (Kents Moat) and East or Sheldon Hall. Mackadown declined and West Hall was abandoned; Sheldon village remained small. It had an inn, smithy, pound, school. At final enclosure, 1813 there were no open fields left and the farms were of fair size. The Coventry Turnpike by-passed both Yardley and Sheldon: there a toll gate at the Wheatsheaf. John Taylor acquired a large part of the manor. Sheldon Hall was rebuilt in brick during the C16 th. and three wings were added later. The house is still lived in, and part of moat survives. See 'Discovering Sheldon' by V.T.H. Skipp.

25.1. Map 14a