Beacon Lodge was owned by the Downing family as a shooting lodge from about 1910 to 1940. It stands in a remote place on the Welsh Borders about two miles west of Llangunllo station. It is now a ruin. The track that now passes by the house is on the Owen Glendower trail and the lodge presents a welcome staging post for walkers following the path.
Beacon Lodge, 1920s
It was probably the culmination of a number of properties and ‘Shooting Boxes’ used by the Downings from about 1870 onwards. In the 1881 census Walter Showell, William Edmund Downing‘s father-in-law is in residence in the ‘Shooting Box’ as ‘Head’ of household together with William Edmund, Hannah and the twins. But the address here is close to Church Stretton in neighbouring Shropshire. They also seem to have owned or rented similar lodges in Ratlinghope and at Llanbrynmair. However, it was the Beacon that became a firm favourite of the Downings by the 1920’s. There are many photos of both William Edmund and Thomas Lee Downing on frequent hunting trips across the surrounding countryside.
Carillon of Bells
There were outbuildings for pigs and chickens, maintained by the full time housekeeper, Mr Griffin, his wife and children Audrey and Francis. The Griffins lived in a separate part of the house. The head game keeper, who lived in Llangunllo, was James (surname) and pictures of him and his sons from the 1920’s also survive.
After William Edmund Downing’s death in 1939 it seems to have taken a while to wind up and sell the whole estate. The only document that survives is a Surveyors evaluation in 1944 of a hill farm in Upper Ferley (£800) – this property would not obviously appear to encompass the Beacon Lodge.
A carousel of cast iron bells survives that used to stand inside to summon the shooting party for meals.
Ruins of Beacon Lodge
Notes
- Beacon Lodge was originally built by the Green-Price family. The precise date and details of what was purchased by the Downing family are not clear. Our early photos at the Beacon could date from before the change of ownership as William Edmund Downing seems to have visited many of these Welsh estates, such as at Llanbrymair, as a guest, paying or otherwise .
- An interesting newspaper extract by Terry Drayton from the Wellington Journal, 21 Dec 1901, relates the death of two brothers in a snowstorm. These were Richard Allen, the gamekeeper’s two sons. Richard Allen, the 1901 census occupant of Beacon Lodge, is described as the gamekeeper to Rev Alfred Edward Green-Price (1860-1940)
- William Edmund Downing had a close relation with a string of Welsh clergyman, who held livings and land with extensive shooting rights. eg William Glenn in Bishop’s Castle.