House & Family History: Beaudesert was the primary seat of the Paget family, marquesses of Anglesey. The estate came into the family circa 1550 through William Paget, 1st Baron Paget. The family fortune was based on lead and coal mines in Staffordshire and North Wales and from a storied cooper mine on the Isle of Anglesey. The 6th Marquess (succeeded to the title in 1905) was often mentioned as the third-richest man in England. In 1913 Lord Anglesey set about enlarging Beaudesert, but after the Great War was forced, in 1924, to put it up for sale, economic conditions no longer allowing the support of such a house. The family decamped and moved to their Welsh seat, Plas Newydd, on the Isle of Anglesey. Beaudesert stayed on the market for 10 years, unable to find a buyer; finally, it was sold to a housebreaking company, who demolished it between 1932 and 1935. Some of the bricks were used to reface St. James's Palace in London; Gournay Court contains strapwork and paneling from Beaudesert.

Garden & Outbuildings: When the 6th Marquess broke up the estate much of the timber and woodland was chopped down and sold. Today some of the former estate land is used as a Scout and Guide camp.

John Bernard (J.B.) Burke, published under the title of A Visitation of the Seats and Arms of the Noblemen and Gentlemen of Great Britain and Ireland, among other titles: 2.S. Vol. II, p. 97, 1855.

John Preston (J.P.) Neale, published under the title of Views of the Seats of Noblemen and Gentlemen in England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland, among other titles: Vol. IV, 1821.

Country Life: XLVI, 658, 688, 1919.

House Listed: Grade II

Park Listed: Not Listed

Past Seat / Home of: Henry Bayley-Paget, 1st Earl of Uxbridge, 18th century; Henry Paget, 4th Marquess of Anglesey, 19th century; Paget family here from 1550 until 1935.

Current Ownership Type: Unknown

Primary Current Ownership Use: Ruinous

House Open to Public: No

Historic Houses Member: No