The Old Malthouse

 It is difficult to imagine a more beautiful location for a village than that of Atcham near Shrewsbury, standing on the banks of the Severn next to the elegant old bridge over the river (built 1769-71 by John Gwynne). Today Gwynne’s bridge is for pedestrians only and the road is carried across the river by a plainer and more recent bridge. The Romans were active in the area and the ancient church at Atcham contains stones from the Roman town of Viroconium and may also have evidence of Anglo Saxon work. It is the only one in the country dedicated to St Eata. Inside St Eata’s, near the organ, are two brass plaques; one records the names of nine local men who perished during the First World War and the other, two men killed during the Second. One of the Second World War names is that of ‘WHC Sands, Boy Royal Navy’. At the time, boys as young as 15 were allowed to join the Navy and a total of 534, aged 16 to 17 were killed.

St Eata's church, Atcham

The Old Malthouse, Atcham

Atcham’s main war memorial however is its lovely wooden-framed village hall. On the outside a plaque records that: “This building, the old malthouse, was presented by Thomas Henry 8th Lord Berwick [of nearby Attingham Hall] to the parish of Atcham to be converted into a war memorial hall in commemoration of the men of Atcham who fell in the Great War 1914-18. The Memorial Hall was opened by Colonel Charles Grant DSO of Pitchford on 31st December 1925”. The building was erected as a malthouse in the 1600s but eventually fell out of use and was converted into the Attingham estate’s carpenter’s shop in the 19th century. Amongst other work for the estate, wooden wheels were constructed there for which the iron bands were made next door in the village smithy.

When Lord Berwick donated the building to be used as a memorial hall, it was in need of repair to both the roof and floor. To raise money for the work, two large fetes were held in the grounds of Attingham Park which, with personal subscriptions, achieved the £1,350 needed. The fundraising and repairs were organised by a committee under Lord Berwick’s chairmanship and, until his death in 1947, he continued to chair the village hall committee. After 1947, the role was taken over – very successfully - by his widow Lady Teresa Berwick (killed in a car crash outside the gates of Attingham Hall in 1972).