The Old House, Shropshire is a fellow member of the Historic House Association, and you can find thier profile here. House tours are begining to be offered.
Lately, and for reasons connected with the Tudor legacy of Sir Rowland Hill, who built Soulton, we were delighted to visit the house.
The house was at one time a house of the Bromley dynasty, closly allied to Sir Rowland Hill and his family in a number of ways. A member of this family who was a close friend of Old Sir Rowland’s was Sir Thomas Bromley was a prominent English judge during the Mid-Tudor period.
Later stained glass hnouring the Tudor paintins over the likely royal alter in the Old House Shrewsbury
Sir Thomas rose to prominence from a middling midlands background through his legal career. Bromley held various judicial positions, including Chief Justice of the King’s Bench, under Mary I. He was known for his connections to the royal family and his influence in the Welsh Marches.
Significantly, he won the favour of Henry VIII and was a member of Edward VI’s regency council, which is discussed in this podcast:
A Tudor Treasure
A belief is that Judge Sir Thomas Bromley resided in the house from the late 1540’s until his death in 1555, albeit he had significant lands in the coutryside beyond Shrewsbury and is burried at Wroxeter.
Hiden paintings of te C16th in the Old House Shrewsbury – thought ot have been above an alter for Tudor Mary I and hidden for years behind later wall treatments.
The heart of the house lies in its beautifully preserved Tudor features. The principal rooms are adorned with large oak beams and extensive wood panelling, creating a sense of timelessness. A particularly intriguing discovery was made during restoration work in The Library: a hidden painted motif depicting Henry VIII’s Tudor Rose and Katherine of Aragon’s Pomegranate. This exquisite artwork dates back to the early 1500s. It is believed to have been painted above an altar in a room that was used as a chapel when the house hosted Queen Mary I as Princess Royal. It is hidden behind wooden panels.
A closer look at the paintings
There is also an outstanding 1553 inlaid fire mantel – this shows a style of decoration thought to have been lost from the interiors of Soulton during the ransacking of the 1640s.
Over mantel in The Old House Shrewsbury, very fine work of 1553
A closer look at a wonderfully fine 1553 overmantel – a glimpse of things lost at Soulton in the 1640s
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A visit to The Old House is a journey through time, offering a glimpse into the lives of those who have walked its halls and a chance to appreciate the enduring beauty of its historic architecture.
Join a HHA house tour to see this for yourself!
