Condition and status of Pitchford Hall in Shropshire, UK

[Mary Pitchford]

Back in January I posted this item as a blog on my page. Since I haven't received any comments I thought that I would move it to the forums.
________________________________________________

In 1992 my brother and his family, from New Jersey, visited Pitchford Hall in Shropshire, UK. They were the first of our family to see this wonderful house and grounds. They just by chance went there on the very last day for public house tours. The following day the house was closed in preparation for the auction of its contents.

The following summer (1993) my husband, son and I from Toronto and my parents from Pennsylvania visited the town of Pitchford and Pitchford Hall. By this time the house had been sold and all of its contents had been auctioned off. We were fortunate to run into a gentleman who lived in the orangerie. He took us on an informal walking tour of the grounds. It was a wonderful day and the house, treehouse, other buildings and the grounds were magnificent.

We re-visited Pitchford Hall and the Church of St. Michael and All Angels in July of 2006. Sadly the house and grounds had been neglected and were falling into disrepair. The identity of the owner seems to be a bit of a mystery. I can't help but wonder why anyone would let this beautiful house decay.

I am hoping to hear from others who have visited more recently that this situation has been corrected.

[David Pitchford]

Hi Mary

I was there not long after you. However I've been updated by several more recent visitors, and the news isn't great. The hall is apparently deteriorating, *despite* English Heritage's close attentions. It was apparently bought by a non-resident for his wife, and she has never visited, and so there is essentially no interest. More news as I (or this forum) gets it.

Cheers

Dave

[Marie Fellows(Pitchford)]

Hi

The information i was given was that a very wealthy Sheik bought it in order to breed from from Arab stallions. I had thought I read somewhere that English heritage had been trying to get the present owner to do something with the house. I thought it was law that the owner of a listed building was to keep it in good condition. I don't know what possessed E.H. when they decided not to buy the property. Now they are crying over 'spilled milk!.

If they had done their homework they would have realised that it would be a money spinner, with the number of Pitchfords there are about particularly in the USA. Their marketing department could have had a field day arranging tours particularly with the Americans . " c' est la vie"

Before I stopped doing the lottery, If I had been lucky enough to have won a few million, I would have tried to buy the hall myself. I am sure a few million would have persuaded the present owner. ( that would have been the day!)

Marie ( Always full of fanciful dreams!)