Cherie's Place

Pitchford Hall, a Grade I listed, Elizabethan Half Timbered House was recently, in 2016 re-acquired by a descendant of the family who owned the property until 1992. Pitchford Hall had been in the same family for 500 years when the then owner Caroline Colthurst and her husband were hit with financial responsibilities after investing in one of the Lloyds insurance syndicates.

Caroline offered the Hall and contents to the nation in return for a sum of money. The Secretary of State for National Heritage, Dave Mellor, against the advice of English Heritage rejected the proposal as being of insufficient national interest. He reached his decision without visiting the property.

The Hall was put up for sale and the contents which were very much part of the house and its history were auctioned by Christie’s whilst the estate’s grounds remained with the family.

The Hall was purchased by a Kuwaiti Princess who wanted the stable block for her stud farm. The Princess didn’t move into the house and over the years the building deteriorated and started to become derelict.

After 25 years, Rowena Colthurst and her husband were able to approach the agent of the Princess with an offer to buy back the house. The offer was accepted and Rowena’s family moved into her childhood home and began the extensive restoration and renovation work that is required because of years of neglect.

Recently, I was lucky enough to take part in an informative guided tour of the property where I learned some of the history of the hall and the progress of the renovation works.

Pitchford derives its name from a naturally occuring pitch or bitumen well which is situated by the Row Brook with in the grounds of the hall. Opposite the pitch well is a ford across the Row, hence Pitchford.

It is on record that a medieval manor house existed on the site from at least 1284 to 1431. Part of the fabric of the early house may well survive within the current west wing of the hall. The current house dates from the 16th century and has three wings and a garderobe tower. Much of the house has been altered as tastes changed over the years although the drawing room panelling dates back to 1626.

Within one of the rooms in the hall  is a priest hole hidden behind wooden paneling; it is rumoured that Prince Rupert hid inside it after the siege of Shrewsbury.

Within the grounds of the hall is possibly the oldest tree house in the world, the first mention of it being in 1692. The tree house was remodeled in 1760 and renovated in 1980. It is the same style as Pitchford Hall and located in a large leaved lime tree. Due to its age, the tree is now supported by metal posts. Both the tree and the tree house are Grade I listed. Princess (later Queen) Victoria visited Pitchford Hall and the tree house as a young girl of 13. The visit is recorded in her personal diary which can be read online.

Churchill had earmarked Pitchford as a possible bolt hole for the Royal Family should England have been invaded during the Second World War.

In the grounds there is a large orangery which is awaiting renovation for use as an events hall. The project is currently on hold until the bats that are currently roosting in the roof space move to their winter roost. Lady Sybil, the wife of one of the former owners of the hall lived in the orangery rather than with her husband in the house and summoned her butler with a megaphone.

The hall has ghosts. The most frequently experienced ghost is that of Robin Grant whose presence leaves an aroma of the specially imported Cigarellos that he used to smoke in the pantry.

Rowena and her husband  are hoping to recover the contents of the house for display in the property, whether by purchase, loan or donation so that the hall can be seen more or less as it was before the sale. Indeed several items have been returned to be reinstated in the hall.

Sources of information:

• The Pitchford Hall tour guide
• Pitchford Hall Website
• Wikipedia
• Independent article dated 15 September 1992
• Shropshire Star article dated 10 November 2016

Tags: Pitchford Hall, Shropshire