Shavington Hall

Shavington Hall is described by Pevsner as the grandest house of its date in Shropshire. By 1752 the grounds were extensive, apparently extending equivalent distances east and west of the River Duckow. That arrangement probably included a formal avenue running due east from the front of the Hall to a bridge across the Duckow, with a second avenue running south at a right-angles south from the Hall to the Big Pool.

Major changes were made to the park by Francis, first Earl of Kilmorey (died 1832). Both William Emes and Humphry Repton produced schemes for Shavington, but it seems unlikely that either of these schemes were implemented. Nevertheless, some changes were made. The old avenues and main approach were apparently done away with in favour of two new roads which took visitors around to the back of the house, and two new bridges were built to carry the two roads. By then, any parkland which lay east of the Duckow had been given up.

However, in 1851 it was noted that the park had recently been enlarged to 1,500 acres, and five of the seven miles of its circumference had been enclosed with a brick wall. That enlargement probably included meant the park once again extended east of the Duckow, to the boundary known in 1890. By that time, there were four lodges giving access to the park.

Evidence of the park's fate in the later 19th century is ambiguous. Despite the enlargement in the middle of the century, in 1891 Leach wrote that the park was neglected, became dilapidated, and was 'more of a wilderness,' with the rabbits alone thriving.