![High Ercall Hall - geograph](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0c/High_Ercall_Hall_-_geograph.org.uk_-_365914.jpg)
High Ercall Hall or Ercall Hall is the remaining part of a larger complex in the village of
High Ercall
High Ercall, also known in the past as Ercall Magna, is a village in the borough of Telford and Wrekin and ceremonial county of Shropshire, England. The civil parish is still called Ercall Magna, and had a total population of 1,679 at the 2001 ce ...
, Shropshire, 8 miles (13 km) north-east of Shrewsbury.
The present structure is a Grade II* L-shaped, three-storey building of 16th-century origin, constructed of sandstone and brick. It has 5 bays with 3 alternate projecting gables. Adjacent to the house is a row of arches, the only remainder of a larger 17th-century house building that was badly damaged during the
English Civil War
The English Civil War (1642–1651) was a series of civil wars and political machinations between Parliamentarians (" Roundheads") and Royalists led by Charles I ("Cavaliers"), mainly over the manner of England's governance and issues of re ...
.
History
Hamo Peveril bought High Ercall in 1098 and it remained in the Peveril family until 1271. It then passed to the Ercall (or Arkle) family, who held it until 1391. The earliest recorded building on the site was a 12th-century Manor House built by the Ercall family. This was protected by John de Ercall in the 13th century by the construction of curtain walling and defensive towers.
The manor then passed to Thomas Newport in 1391 and the present house was constructed by the Newport family in the 16th century. It passed to
Francis Newport who, between 1601 and 1620, had a larger mansion house built alongside. At the time of the
Civil War
A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country).
The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
, his son
Richard Newport, 1st Baron Newport
Richard Newport, 1st Baron Newport (7 May 1587 – 8 February 1651). was an English landowner and politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1614 and 1629. He supported the Royalist cause in the English Civil War and was ...
, an ardent Royalist, fortified the buildings to act as a Royalist stronghold and garrison. Large earthen ramparts were thrown up against the curtain walling to protect the buildings from artillery fire. The hall was besieged several times during the war (see
Siege of High Ercall Hall
The siege of High Ercall Hall in High Ercall, Shropshire, England took place during the First English Civil War. There were a total of three sieges. In each of the sieges, the Hall was held by the Royalists and besieged by the Parliamentar ...
) and finally fell to the Parliamentary forces in 1646. The new mansion was by then badly damaged and any fortifications were subsequently demolished by the Parliamentary forces. The original buildings, however, were still habitable and continued in use as a farmhouse.
In 1906 it was occupied by James H James-Moore. It is still in private hands.
Time Team
The history and archaeology of the hall was covered by the 2002 ''
Time Team
''Time Team'' is a British television programme that originally aired on Channel 4 from 16 January 1994 to 7 September 2014. It returned online in 2022 for two episodes released on YouTube. Created by television producer Tim ...
'' episode ''Siege House in Shropshire'' (series 9, episode 8).
Channel 4
''Time Team'' episode guide
See also
*Listed buildings in Ercall Magna
Ercall Magna is a civil parish in the district of Telford and Wrekin, Shropshire, England. It contains 28 listed buildings that are recorded in the National Heritage List for England. Of these, one is listed at Grade I, the highest of the ...
References
*
{{coord, 52.752234, -2.602071, type:landmark_region:GB, display=title
Grade II* listed buildings in Shropshire
Country houses in Shropshire
Grade II* listed houses