DiCamillo Companion
England

Seighford Hall

  • House & Family History: Seighford Hall is a wood-frame house with a late 16th century core and large, late 19th century additions. John Eld (1704-96), an 18th century owner of Seighford, was a noted philanthropist and a founder of the Staffordshire General Infirmary. A fine Gainsborough portrait of Eld, commissioned by the infirmary's trustees, hangs today in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (see photo in "Images" collection). For the latter part of the 20th century the house was used as a nursing home. The care home, which was operated by Seighford Hall Nursing Home Ltd., closed in 1998 and the house has been vacant ever since. In 2022 it was discovered that Seighford's caretaker had given, or possibly sold, a carved wooden Tudor fire surround and overmantel to a local antique dealer because he believed the wood was rotten and riddled with fungus. The fire surround and overmantel may be worth up to £5 million, according to the May 27, 2022 edition of "The Guardian."

  • Garden & Outbuildings: The gamekeeper's cottage (which has a fine brick tower) and the coach house are both extant.

  • Title: The Guardian
    Reference: May 27, 2022 online edition
    Publisher: London: Guardian Media Group plc
    ISBN: 0261-3077 and 1756-3224
    Book Type: Newspaper

    Title: Buildings of England: Staffordshire, The
    Author: Pevsner, Nikolaus
    Year Published: 1975
    Publisher: London: Penguin Books
    ISBN: 0140710469
    Book Type: Hardback

    Title: MFA: A Guide to the Collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
    Author: Wohlauer, Gilian Shallcross
    Year Published: 1999
    Publisher: Boston: Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
    ISBN: 0878464727
    Book Type: Softback

  • House Listed: Grade II

    Park Listed: Not Listed

  • Past Seat / Home of: John Eld, 18th century.

    Current Ownership Type: Corporation

    Primary Current Ownership Use: Unoccupied

  • House Open to Public: No

    Historic Houses Member: No