Today, we had the distinct pleasure of welcoming historians from the Victoria County History (VCH) project to Soulton Hall. The team spent several hours with us as part of their ongoing research into the historic manor of Soulton and the adjacent lands within the liberty of Wem.
Our collaborative efforts focused on the deep-running history preserved within our manorial archive, exploring the cultural and historical identity that defines this landscape. Naturally, the scope of their inquiry is vast, tracing a continuous line of economic and social life from the Saxon period down to the present day. We spent considerable time looking at the structural roots of the estate, focusing on ancient landscape features, agricultural development, and the changing rhythms of rural life across the centuries.
We are delighted to support the work of the VCH. It provided a wonderful opportunity to share and explain our research into the cultural and political history that is so intrinsic to the Renaissance phase of the Soulton story. In particular, we discussed how these deep historical roots culminated in the mid-sixteenth century under “Old” Sir Rowland Hill, whose humanist vision transformed the manor into a sophisticated statement of harmony and intellectual resilience during a turbulent age.
We look forward to seeing how these findings will contribute to the evolving record of our corner of Shropshire.
