Records for Selly Manor date back to 1476.  During this time, a gentleman named Willian Jenette owned the land and leased this house out to a local farmer.

In 1561,  John Setterford, his wife Phylis, and her son William Pritchett  leased the house. This family prospered and eventually were able to purchase the house.

The Setterford family owned and lived in this house until 1699 but after this, there was nobody to invest in the property and it was considered unfashionable.

<em>Smythes Tenement</em> declined after the Setterford Family had moved on and by the mid 19th Century, it was split into separate cottages to be leased.  It was then to be know as <em>The Rookery</em>.  Census records still exist and provide about the residents of these cottages... <em><b>so who, from the history of this beautiful venue, will you encounter??</b></em>
<div class="thumb tright">
<div class="thumbinner">In 1907, The Rookery was put up for sale by auction after the death of the owner Edward Olivieri.</div>
<div></div>
<div class="thumbinner"><strong>George Cadbury</strong> purchased The Rookery in Selly Oak.  His intention was to create a museum to compliment the other buildings he had built in the village of Bourneville, alongside the famous <em>Cadbury chocolate factory.  </em>George had the building demolished brick by brick and rebuilt in Bourneville.</div>
</div>