Stanshope Hall

Stanshope Hall is in the hamlet of Stanshope, which is situated between the villages of Ilam and Alstonefield in Staffordshire.

It is a stone house with projecting gabled wings, built in its present form in the eighteenth century. It was re-styled in 1767 by William Manley, and has a brick frontage on another side (1). The hall had previously been the home of a family named Jackson who were there in the 1600s. An earlier house probably stood on the site, as there are records from medieval times (2).

By the early nineteenth century the hall was owned by William Nuttall. He moved to South Croston in Leicestershire (3), and the hall was advertised for sale in 1825, and again in 1827 when it was tenanted by Charles Massey (4).

The hall and its estate passed into the hands of Thomas Buxton of Brassington (5), who offered the whole estate for sale in 1832 (6). There was evidently no buyer, as the sale was again advertised in 1833 as a "Preemptory Sale" to be held on 8 May 1833, with the offer of a purchase loan at 4% interest in required by a buyer (7). Again there was evidently no purchase, as the estate was re-advertised to be sold by private contract in 1834 (8), and then by auction on 3 February 1835 (9).

Thomas Buxton was still the owner in 1839 however when Stanshope Hall and its estate were advertised yet again for sale by auction to be held on 5 November 1839 (10).

By 1851 Stanshope Hall and its estate had been purchased by Ralph Beardmore 1806-1880. He restored the house, which had fallen into disrepair. He and his son Ralph Beardmore 1833-1910 were then farming 89 acres and employing two farm hands. When the 1861 Census was taken the farm had increased to 150 acres, and it had become necessary to employ a boy as well as two labourers. When the Census was taken in 1871 Frank Austin 1849-1931 and Martha Hambleton 1846-1910 both of Milldale were working there (11).

The Beardmore family continued to live at Stanshope until the death of Ralph Beardmore in 1910. His heir was his son who was also named Ralph Beardmore, but in 1912 the hall and sixty acres of land were offered for sale (12).

References

(1) The Buildings of England: Staffordshire by N. Pevsner (1974) page 55.
(2) A Survey of Staffordshire; containing the Antiquities of that County S. Erdeswicke (1844) page 482; A History of the County of Stafford: Volume 7: Leek and the Moorlands editor M.W. Greenslade (1996) pages 8 to 27.
(3) William Nuttall formerly of Stanshope evidently died at South Croston, but his widow Sarah Nuttall died at Beeby near Leicester on 30 November 1854: Derby Mercury 13 December 1854. The sale of his farm stock at Stanshope Hall was advertised for sale in the Derby Mercury dated 12 January 1825.
(4) Derby Mercury 12 and 19 September 1827.
(5) Thomas Buxton may have inherited the Stanshope estate from the Bradburnes of Bradbourne in Derbyshire : A Survey of Staffordshire; containing the Antiquities of that County S. Erdeswicke (1844) page 482.
(6) Derby Mercury 23 and 30 May 1832 and 6, 13 and 20 June 1832.
(7) Derby Mercury 7 and 14 November 1832, 2 and 9 January 1833, 24 April 1833 and 1 May 1833.
(8) Derby Mercury 15 and 22 October 1834.
(9) Derby Mercury 21 and 28 January 1835.
(10) Derby Mercury 16 October 1839.
(11) Frank Austin 1849-1931 was the son of Edward and Elizabeth Austin of Milldale in Alstonefield parish. In that year he married Mahala Berisford 1847-1934, the first cousin of Jane Berisford 1841-1919 who married William Askey 1844-1917 of Alstonefield.
Martha Hambleton 1846-1910 was the niece of Hannah Hambleton 1807-1867 who married Thomas Askey 1803-1867 the father of William Askey 1844-1917.
(12) A History of the County of Stafford: Volume 7: Leek and the Moorlands editor M.W. Greenslade (1996) pages 8 to 27. Stanshope Hall is now a guest house.