Following the success of the Salopian Club/SSPA joint event at Pitchford Hall we will be exploring another historic Shropshire property together. Soulton Hall near Wem is one of the most fascinating country houses in the country. Within its walls are architectural puzzles, spiritual mysteries and links to some of the most important events and characters in British history.
The house was built and owned by ('Old') Sir Rowland Hill in 1556, which furnishes a foundational link to Shrewsbury School: Sir Rowland was involved in the petitions to Edward VI to establish the institution and the complicated financing of the Tudor school. It is also possible Thomas Ashton was at Soulton during the Marian persecutions. Hill was an elite merchant and a key figure in the Tudor court. He was Lord Mayor of London and major patron of the arts. He published the Geneva Bible and was known to William Shakespeare as a cousin and muse.
The Shakespeare links deepen when it is understood that the source book for Shakespeare ‘As You Like It’ ('Rosalynde', 1590) was written by Thomas Lodge Jr, whose boyhood is linked to Soulton via is father's ownership of the manor and subsequent transfer to 'Old Sir Rowland' Hill. There are indications that the choreography of the famous dance of Harmony has survived in in the Soulton papers and on its dancing pavement - a realisation Tim came to partly due to the remarkable teaching of Michael Schutzer-Weissmann while a boy at Shrewsbury.
Hence the compelling understanding that the character of Sir Rowland de Bois is based on Sir Rowland Hill -- which puts a Shakespeare hero into the foundation story of Shrewsbury!
Come and hear a short talk about the house, have a look around at some of its treasures whilst enjoying a glass of fizz and canapes. The event falls on St Erkenwald's Day, a saint with strong
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