“It’s my destiny to buy it” American bidder puts name in the hat to buy grade-I-listed building

Hurstel Edward Begley, who believes he is a descendant of the Baguley family, has posted the video to YouTube outlining his ambitions for the grade-I-listed building, which is thought to be at least 700 years old.

Bagueley hall

It has been listed for sale by Historic England, on the condition that it ‘requires that the public is able to access the building at least occasionally’ and the new buyer ‘restores and operates the building in a sympathetic way’.

That sparked Mathew Hopkins to form a committee to ‘save it from unscrupulous developers’. He, along with members of Friends of Baguley Hall, are worried the heritage of the ‘unique building’ could be lost.

“If you go inside and look how it’s structured and how the timber frame is put together, it’s nationally and internationally important,” chartered building surveyor and FOBH member Matthew Williams said in explaining its value.

“It’s a plank construction rather than a box construction. These are bigger sections and the pattern is different to a normal timber frame mediaeval building. That’s why it’s grade-I listed.”

Now, as Historic England has reportedly extended the window for potential buyers to throw their hat in the ring, one has come from Kentucky.

Hustel Edward Begley

Hurstel Edward Begley posted a video to his YouTube channel, Tattoo Billy Band, explaining why he was so interested.

He told viewers: “I am throwing my hat [in], and something I think I am destined to have through my bloodline, and that’s Baguley Hall.

“I have submitted a game plan for Baguley Hall. I believe it is my destiny to do this. My gauntlet is thrown down.”

He added he sees there are two options for the Hall — one is to run it as a ‘non-profit’, and the other is to transform it into a ‘Mediaeval pub and B&B’.

“All you people in the Wythenshawe, Manchester area — this Hall’s game plan is for it [to become] a non-profit,” Mr Begley went on. “It’s to benefit the Hall until it’s fully functional and fully renovated again and that overflow, I plan on educational grants etc, even food help for the people of Wythenshawe.

A plan to save Baguley Hall

“That is what I plan. The Hall is to serve the community of Wythenshawe… if you’re tuning in from those areas, support me and my application — Hurstel Edward Begley.

“Support me because my game plan is to support you guys as a non-profit, and if Friends of Baguley Hall want to be involved, that would be cool.

“If not, I’m going to get a professional touring group who will tour and all that money will be put back to renovate the Hall. Once that Hall is fully renovated, part of my game plan is to have a Mediaeval-style pub inside the Hall. Each wing [is] to be furnished into that time period for it to be turned into a bed and breakfast.

“For all you Bagleys, Biggelows, all of you guys around the world that want to access your family ancestral home — it’s not about me, it’s about you. If you can support us, we’ll have a fundraiser and make it open to the public and all you descendants of the Bagley family.”

No final decision on the Hall’s future has been announced as of yet.

You can find out more about the history of Baguley Hall on Historic England by clicking here