Soulton Hall

The modern spelling of 'Soulton' has evolved over time, and a wide variation can be found in historical documents. For scholarly research, it is useful to be aware of these alternative spellings, as seen in the following historical records:

Several rooms in the basement retain their original Tudor flooring, suggesting they were "polite" rooms rather than service spaces. One of these rooms contains a Rithmomachia games board laid out in its floor tiles. Sir Rowland Hill is counted to have published an account of this philosophical game, also known as the "Philosopher's Game." The house also contains a priest hole on the principal floor. While such hiding places are typically associated with Catholic priests during the reign of Elizabeth I, the early construction date of this one has led to the theory that it may have been intended to hide prominent Protestants, such as Archbishop Matthew Parker, during the reign of Catholic…

Scholars have suggested that Sir Rowland Hill's statecraft involved accumulating state papers and other culturally important texts at Soulton. This collection is theorized to have passed, via the Alkington Cottons, into the Cotton Library, which contains significant manuscripts like Beowulf and copies of Magna Carta. This theory offers a potential explanation for why Soulton was ransacked during the English Civil War and may have contributed to the Battle of Wem in 1643. Some have also drawn a connection between the cultural work at Soulton and a later historical event. The design on the frontispiece of the Geneva Bible, promoted by Hill, is understood to have been an inspiration for…