History of Benthall Hall

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Aerial view, over trees, of the 16th-century mullioned manor house, Benthall Hall, Shropshire, and its surrounding parkland — Aerial view of the 16th-century mullioned manor house and its surrounding parkland at Benthall Hall, Shropshire | © National Trust Images/James Dobson

An ancient site with a long family history, Benthall Hall, Shropshire, has quietly stood the test of time. Isolated on a plateau above the River Severn, it has witnessed the Civil Wars (1642–51) and the destruction and reconstruction of its church. The addition of a plantsman’s garden in the 19th century now emphasises Benthall’s rural calm.

Early history

The small settlement of Benthall was recorded in Domesday Book in 1086 as part of the manor of Much Wenlock and belonged to Wenlock Priory. The Benthall family took their name, meaning ‘field overgrown with bent grass’, from the settlement; they can trace their lineage to the Anglo-Saxon period on this site. The first well-documented member of the family was Anfrid de Benetala (?–1128) who attended a chapter at Castle Holgate, Shropshire in 1100 and attested a charter in 1120.

The earliest record of a house dates to 1250, when Philip de Benthall (?–c.1281) granted Buildwas Abbey the right to carry stone and coal over his land. On his death, Philip left three daughters but no son. In 1283, the estate was acquired by Robert Burnell (1239–92), Bishop of Bath and Wells and Lord Chancellor of England.

The estate passed to Philip Burnell de Benethale (c.1322–?) as recorded in a deed dated 1322. The estate then descended through the male line to William Benthall (?–1572), who is believed to have built the present house (or at least part of it), around 1535. In 1580, the house underwent major improvements.

During the reign of Elizabeth I (1558–1603), the family was Catholic in sympathy, if not in practice. Remains of a possible hiding place have been found in the Porch Room, also referred to as the Priest’s Room, on the first floor. Beneath its floorboards is a hiding place, but there is no evidence to suggest that a priest was housed here.

South west front of the house showing a third tier of five-faced bay windows and part of the garden, with the sun shining on the stone house — The south west front of Benthall Hall | © National Trust Images/Matthew Antrobus

The Civil Wars

The Benthall family played its part in the Civil Wars. Lawrence Benthall (?–1652) was a Royalist; in 1643 he fortified the house as a garrison for King Charles I. Two years later in 1645 it fell to the Parliamentarians and became their garrison.

During this time, Benthall church was destroyed by fire and the house was damaged. Traces of the fighting can be seen in the exterior stonework. In the Drawing Room, damage to the south window and panelling suggest an assault was made here.

Parliament fined Lawrence for his loyalty to the King, but he regained Benthall Hall. In 1667 he re-built the church (St Bartholomew’s). Today it is a rare surviving example of a church built during the Restoration, the period that saw the monarchy reinstated under Charles II.

The family loses Benthall

After the death of Lawrence, his son and his grandson, the lack of heirs meant that Benthall Hall passed to the Browne family, distant relations through marriage between Katherine Benthall (?–1709) and Ralph Browne (c.1658–1707) of Caughley Hall, near Broseley. Through female succession, it descended to the Harries family who, in 1844, sold Benthall to the 2nd Lord Forester, owner of the neighbouring Willey estate. From 1845 to 1930, the house was let to a series of tenants.

Church in a leafy churchyard — St Bartholomew's Church, Benthall | © James Dobson

George Maw and Maws tiles

The most notable tenants were brothers George Maw (1832–1912) and his younger brother Arthur Maw (1834–1911). Arthur ran the family business of Maws tiles, using local clay to produce encaustic tiles which were exported all over the British Empire. He used Benthall’s Entrance Hall as their showroom and laid the floor with their tiles (now covered over).

George Maw and plant collecting

It was the extraordinary George Maw whose legacy at Benthall is still visible. George was a distinguished geologist, botanist and collector of alpines and bulbous plants, especially crocus. In 1871 he accompanied the famous Victorian plant-hunter Joseph Hooker (later Director of Kew Gardens) on an expedition to Morocco and the Atlas Mountains.

George used Benthall’s garden to display the plants he collected. Hybrid varieties of his crocus collection still flower there today. George was at the forefront of the Victorian craze of plant-hunting in the name of scientific and botanical ‘discovery’, which could sometimes involve stripping whole mountainsides of indigenous plants.

Robert Bateman

From 1890–1906, Benthall was let to Robert Bateman (1842–1922), son of James Bateman (1811–97), creator of Biddulph Grange Gardens, Staffordshire. Robert made artistic changes to the garden, including adding the dovecote in the rose garden. He also added embellishments to the church.

A close-up shot of lilac crocuses amongst lush, green, spring grass. — Crocuses at Benthall Hall, Shropshire | © National Trust Images/PJ Howsam

Mary Clementina Benthall

When Benthall came up for sale at auction in 1934, its future was at risk. Without a buyer, it could have been destroyed. Therefore, when Mary Clementina Benthall (1879–1960) purchased the house and estate for £6,000, she ensured Benthall’s survival.

Clementina’s family had connections to the British empire in India. Her grandfather, Edward Benthall (1807–89), was a judge in Bengal. Her father, Ernest Benthall (1843–1928), was born in what is now Bangladesh and worked for the India Office, the successor to the East India Company.

Clementina and husband James Floyer Dale (1883–1942) changed their name to Benthall and set about restoring the family home. During the Second World War, she let the hall to an evacuated school. She gifted Benthall to the National Trust in 1958, thus securing the future of her ancestral home.

The National Trust and the Benthall family

From 1962–85, Clementina’s cousin, Sir Paul Benthall (1902–92) was the first tenant under NT ownership. Sir Paul worked for Bird & Company, a large British-owned corporation based in Calcutta (now Kolkata), India, eventually becoming director. He was also involved with trade relationships when India became independent in 1947. His descendants have in turn taken on the tenancy until the present day.

The National Trust continues to celebrate George Maw’s legacy of horticulture at Benthall. A copy of his 1886 publication, ‘The Genus Crocus’, is in the collection, and a new glasshouse was built in 2025 to grow some of the species of plants he collected.