Yesterday, we attended the meeting of Wem Rural Parish Council to speak locally, formally and in public regarding the ongoing research at Soulton Hall.
As the deep historical recovery surrounding the estate is now being shared more widely, it was appropriate to state these matters clearly in a public forum. By speaking at the parish level, we have ensured that these facts are now part of the open discourse.
Here is a note of what was said:
The Council was briefed on the significant historical legacy being formalized within the parish. It was placed on the record that:
- The Birthplace of As You Like It: It is a settled matter that the North Shropshire landscape and the estate of Sir Rowland Hill constitute the birthplace of Shakespeare’s As You Like It. The “Forest of Arden” is a direct literary mapping of this specific topography, and the character of “Old Sir Rowland” serves as a formal monument to Hill’s legacy. This established literary foundation provides the essential context for the recent ecclesiastical discoveries.
- The 1550 Custody: It is a matter of historical record that Sir Rowland Hill had custody of the High Altar stone of Old St Paul’s Cathedral when it was removed on St. Barnabas’ Day, 1550.
- The Act of Iconoclasm: This removal was a sober and violent moment of iconoclasm, an event associated with the deaths of three individuals.
- Preservation in the Parish: The Ashton family are working through the understanding that this stone was brought to this parish for protection. It is heavily implied by years of research that this artifact is held within the Aedicle and Prayer Room of Soulton Hall, alongside the memory and potentially the relics of Saint Erkenwald (Saint, Saxon Prince and First Bishop of London, Patron of London), also brought here by Hill.
- Strategic Recognition: These contours of legacy represent a world-class cultural asset.
Edstaston Church
