Hatton Grange

Hatton Grange, which before the Dissolution belonged to Buildwas Abbey, was purchased in the later C17 by Robert Slaney. The latter’s great-grandson Plowden Slaney, who was born in 1724, inherited the 1100-acre (c 458ha) estate in 1757. Four years later he married Martha Pitt, of Priors Lee, and two years after that employed T F Pritchard to build a new house for them.

Before his death in 1788 Slaney seems also to have made considerable improvements to his estate, and by 1779 had spent some £6630, of which the main building work between 1763 and 1768 accounted for £1553. Slaney was succeeded by his son Robert, under whom work continued; by 1793 the overall sum expended at Hatton had reached £7106.

It was presumably in that thirty-year period, 1763-93, that the park was created and the dingle pools modified. After Robert’s death in 1834 Hatton passed to his son Robert Aglionby Slaney (d 1862), MP for Shrewsbury and leading national proponent of public parks (Stamper 1996, 87-8). Hatton Grange remains (1998) in private hands.

Further facts

Hatton is a working estate and has a small but thriving community. All those involved endeavour to keep alive the traditions of the Estate, whilst recognising the need to evolve with modern times. In both World Wars the house was used as an auxiliary Red Cross hospital with the present owner’s great grandmother being the Commandant.

The Cricket Pavilion where teas are served was used as a dormitory for convalescent soldiers. The present generation are especially keen gardeners and are actively working with David Austin to establish new rose borders and walks in the garden.