Sandon Hall

Sandon Hall is a 19th-century country mansion, the seat of the Earl of Harrowby, at Sandon, Staffordshire, 5 miles (8.0 km) northeast of Stafford. It is a Grade II* listed building set in 400 acres (1.6 km²) of parkland.

Sandon Hall in 1818

Before the Conquest, Sandon was the property of Algar earl of Mercia, but at the Conquest it fell into the king’s hands who bestowed upon Hugh Lupus earl of Chester. From him is passed to William de Malbanc, of Nantwich, one of his barons. Adena, the great-grand-daughter of William, gave it to Warren de Vernon, whose daughter Alditha conveyed it to Sir William Stafford, knight. Margaret, the daughter of one of the descendants of Sir William carried it by marriage to Thomas Erdeswicke in the 12th year of the reign of Edward III (1339). Thomas and Margaret had issue; another Thomas, who had issue Hugh, Robert, Sampson, and Henry. Hugh, Robert and Sampson all died without issue. Henry had issue Hugh, who had issue another Hugh, who had issue yet another Hugh, and Sampson. Hugh Erdeswicke the elder brother died without issue. Sampson had issue Hugh, who had issue Sampson Erdeswicke who had issue Richard Erdeswicke who married Mary Digby, who was the widow of Everard Digby

The property was sold to settle debts by Richard Erdeswicke in the autumn of 1624 (although the purchase was not completed until 1631) to his half brother George Digby, 2nd Earl of Bristol. Richard Erdeswicke died in Fleet debtors prison and was buried in St. Bride’s Fleet Street in July 1640. His son, named after his more well known father - Sampson Erdeswicke, died intestate in 1654.[1]

Thereafter it passed by marriage until it came to William Hamilton, 2nd Duke of Hamilton in the 17th century. The old manor house was replaced by a new house built in 1769 for Archibald Hamilton by Joseph Pickford of Derby.

The estate was purchased in 1776 by Nathaniel Ryder, 1st Baron Harrowby, who retained the architect Samuel Wyatt to carry out extensive extensions and improvements. The house was severely damaged by fire in 1848 and was rebuilt in 1852 by Dudley Ryder, 2nd Earl of Harrowby to a neo Jacobean design by architect William Burn.[2]

In the park stands a Doric column erected in memory of William Pitt the Younger in 1806.

The current owners are Conroy Ryder, 8th Earl of Harrowby and Caroline Ryder, 8th Countess of Harrowby.[2] They have renovated a public wing and fifty acres of gardens for weddings.[2]