Ruin and renaissance

Dorfold Hall, Cheshire, part II The home of Charles and Dr Candice Roundell

- John Goodall

In the second of two articles, John Goodall describes the antiquarian rediscovery of this important Jacobean house and its recent spectacular renewal

WHEN Ralph Wilbraham completed Dorfold Hall in 1621—as described last week—he might reasonably have felt that he had not only created a worthy seat for his descendants, but secured their future prosperity as well. By the time of his death in 1637, however, the kingdom was on the path to civil war. When hostilities began in 1642, both the house itself and his heir, Roger, were drawn into the turmoil. Thanks to the diary of Edward Burghall, vicar of Acton, the parish church, we have an unusually detailed picture of how the fighting affected the locality.

Cheshire was a largely Royalist county, but the neighbouring town of Nantwich, after attempting neutrality, declared for Parliament. It was immediately visited by a Royalist force and disarmed. Roger Wilbraham was one of four local worthies imprisoned by the King in September 1642 at Shrewsbury as surety for its good behaviour. In April 1643, as he languished at the King's pleasure, Dorfold was targeted in a raid and looted of livestock and household goods. During another confrontation, on October 16, Royalist troops took shelter in both the house and Acton church to protect themselves from a sally mounted by the Nantwich garrison.