Starting today, BBC Radio Shropshire is featuring a landmark four-day special exploring the profound historical mysteries embedded within Soulton Hall.
Heritage consultant James Wenn of Byrga Geniht joins Mark Elliot on air to unpack a remarkable web of Tudor history, examining how this Shropshire estate came to harbor the memory and physical legacy of some of England’s most guarded historical chapters.
James D. Wenn, Heritage Expert and Consultant
Tracing the Flickers of Revelation
This four-day broadcast series builds on a growing public awareness that first flickered into motion when Mark Elliot welcomed Tim Ashton onto his show for the four-hundredth anniversary of the First Folio. That initial conversation shared, for the first time on new media, the quiet work and growing confidence that deep architectural and historical truths about Soulton Hall were genuine.
Tim Ashton being interviewed by the BBC
Now, this week’s features on BBC Radio Shropshire open those doors even wider for listeners, exploring four key areas of intrigue:
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The Relics of Saint Erkenwald: Investigating how the proportions of the estate reflect the dismantled shrine of London’s seventh-century bishop, acting as a covert architectural sanctuary during turbulent religious shifts.
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The Lost Altar of Old St Paul’s: Examining physical evidence and heritage evaluations suggesting that significant artifacts—including elements from the high altar of Old St Paul’s Cathedral—found a safe haven in Shropshire.
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The Garnet Code and Statecraft: Unpacking the mathematical, philosophical, and architectural ciphers utilized by Renaissance figures like Sir Rowland Hill to shield vital ideas from the purges of the mid-sixteenth century.
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Shakespeare’s Consciousness: Exploring how William Shakespeare held a deep awareness of these preserved secrets, drawing upon the intellectual currents, family legacies, and landscape of the region.
Tune In This Week on BBC Shropshire
As these four daily segments unfold starting today, listeners across the region have a rare opportunity to hear expert analysis bridge the gap between private academic study and public discovery. Alongside these broadcasts, written materials are also emerging to document the findings.
