Ashley Castle, Cheshire

[hermanside]

Hale Civic Society has a lot of info on Castle Mill and Ashley Hall
Contact halecivicsociety@hotmail.com

[Reiver]

Welcome to ROOTSCHAT, Hermanside.  Hope we can help you in the same way that you are helping Kelly    An excellent idea to contact HCS.

I was involved earlier in the thread and so was reminded as a consequence of your posting.  Your mention of Ashley Hall and also Christopher's mention earlier and the name MEREDITH mentioned by Kelly in her first post rang bells 

Kelly
There was a family called MEREDITH who owned Ashley Hall in the early 17th century. My source is a book entitled Timperleie; The History and Archaeology of Timperley Old Hall  edited by Pat Faulkner and published by the South Trafford Archaeological Group.  The ownership of Timperley Hall and Ashley Hall were linked.  The Archaeological Groups website is at
 http://homepage.ntlworld.com/bryan.burtonbj/
They have copies for sale and/or a question may elicit more information from the Editor who is a member.

You first mentioned the name AMERIDITH.  The name I see mentioned in the book is Sir Amos Meredith.

Regards
Reiver

[hermanside]

In 1664 Anne Tatton married Sir Amos Meredith of Ashley at Bowdon Parish Church

[kelly]

Many thanks to you both, Hermanside and Reiver.  I will follow up the links that you mention.   

[Su]

Sorry to interrupt.

I too used to splash around at Castle Mill baths when I was a child.  We used to cycle from Wilmslow (Fulshaw) and take picnics.
Oh happy days.    I wonder if we were all there together and never knew it 

[LizLen]

I found quite a lot about Ashley Hall (not Castle), which existed in the village of Ashley near Altrincham in Cheshire.  The Merediths (once called Ameredith, originating from a Welsh name) owned it for many generations, eventually marrying into the famous Tatton family (owners of Tatton Hall) in the 1800s.  At that time Ashley Hall went to the Egertons (owners of Tatton) as part of the marriage dowry.

Ashley Hall was quite a significant place, a lot of history to do with it especially when various characters used it as a meeting place to decide which side to go on at the beginning of the Jacobite Wars. 

Unfortunately it was demolished in 1954.  I'm afraid I don't know why, and I'm trying to find out.  Since then other more modern buildings have been built on the site, which is a great shame as the old house was a fine old part timber framed building.  There are still various bits of the estate left.

I also found a complete family tree of the Merediths online, which I have and can attach for you

Quite an illustrious family tree and lineage, I must say, - going back as related to Edward Seymore himself, no less! 

I've only posted 2 of 3 of the images I found of this family tree.  There is a 3rd which may be the one that includes your Judith, I will check later.  I did notice her on the tree.

Hope this answers your questions.

[LizLen]

Ah, here below is the last part of that family tree I found of the Merediths originally of Ashley Hall.

You may also be interested to know there is a ghost story associated with the Merediths and Ashley Hall. The whole tale ( a true account by a friend of the Merediths) is told in a book by Aiden Chambers entitled "More Haunted Houses" published by Piccolo.  It is also due to be recited in a podcast at the end of February on a website called www.ghostpod.co.uk & will be on the 4th or 5th Podcast.  The Hall is discussed in some detail there, and you can get an idea of its past times.

[kelly]

Hi Lizlen

Thank you so much for all the information, for the family tree, the details about the podcast and the book - that is absolutely brilliant! 

I have rather left any further research on the Meredith family on the backburner for a while whilst I researched Judith Ameredith's husband's family, the Godolphins.  You have awakened my curiosity again and I look forward to researching Ashley Hall and the Merediths for some time to come.

Thank you again
Dorothy

[LizLen]

You are more than welcome. It was a coincidence I was researching the Hall and Merediths and came across this thread in the search.   

I'm afraid the family tree may be a little confusing, as it is a cut and paste of 3 different screen captures I did.  Some of it will be duplicated, so you should be able to work out those and join it together properly from there.  Should make sense then.  I do notice your Judith and Godolphin are both there.   Fascinating that your ancestors consists of the Lords of Berry Pomeroy (the famous Seymours) and Thomas Moore, among many others.