AN historic mansion near Wordsley is to be converted into a pub.

Brunning and Price is turning Lawnswood House into The Roe Deer pub.

The property, which was built in the Regency style between 1813 and 1816 for the family of iron manufacturer Edward Foley and his family, belonged to the Marsh family (of famed sausage makers Marsh & Baxter) for the last 50 years.

But it has now been taken on by pub restaurant owners Brunning and Price following the 2014 death of John Marsh.

The pub company believes the property, situated off the A449 Kidderminster to Wolverhampton Road, which was last renovated in 1924, lends itself perfectly to being transformed into a public house.

It is, however, in need of repair and restoration but the company has taken on similar projects before including the Arrow Mill at Alcester, which stands on the site of a mill mentioned in the Domesday Book, and the Physician at Edgbaston which shares Lawnswood’s grandeur but without the views across the surrounding countryside.

Brunning and Price bosses are promising the new venue will be “traditional in style, with open fires, wooden floors, bookcases, decent old furniture and lots of rugs and plants” – offering up good cask beers, freshly cooked food, decent and affordable wine and a good shelf of malt whiskies and gins.

Mary Willcock, manager director for Brunning and Price, said: “We want to create a friendly atmosphere in attractive surroundings where locals, regulars and new customers can meet, eat, drink and relax. That for us, is what being a good pub in the heart of its community is all about.”

She added: “We intend to build a new garden room here at Lawnswood to make the most of the views of the grounds. We will also create a private dining room upstairs that comfortably seats 14 people and managers accommodation so that our manager can live onsite and really become part of the local community.”

The pub is expected to open in the spring, around late May if work goes to plan, and it will be called ‘the Roe Deer’.

Ms Willcock said: “We usually like to use the name of the building, but we understand there is another ‘Lawnswood’ close by, so we thought we would rechristen the building in honour of the family of Roe deer that we often see grazing within the walled garden. We hope that they continue to visit the pub when we reopen.”

The company will also be looking to recruit around 40 new staff to work in bar, waiting, kitchen and maintenance roles.

Anyone interested I applying for any roles can send their CV with a covering letter to sarah@brunningandprice.co.uk.

All vacancies can be found online at www.roedeerpub.co.uk