Shellbrook Hill

52.954097060392826°N 2.966517803368255°W / 52.954097060392826; -2.966517803368255

Shelbrook Hill in 2006

Shellbrook Hill is a grade II listed house in Ellesmere Rural, Shropshire, England, less than a quarter of a mile from part of the Wales border.

The house was built in 1820, and "is thought to have been designed by a pupil of Sir John Soane."[1] It was built for the Rev Richard Hilton, and the architect may have been George Edgecombe of Ellesmere.[2] Hilton was still living there in 1837, but by 1851, it was home to his son-in-law John Jones, who had married Hilton's daughter.[2] It passed to their son, Hanmer Hilton Jones, who lived there until he died in 1935, aged 93.[2] The house was sold and by mid-century was home to the Soames family.[2]

Work was later undertaken to remove some changes that occurred in the mid-1930s, including large water tanks in the roof space, lowered ceilings, a bathroom, internal walls and some metal windows.[1] The internal layout and the window arrangement was restored, and a new en-suite bathroom was created within a former maid's cupboard.[1]

It was home to Major Frederic Evelyn Soames (who also lived in Nyeri, Kenya), who died there on 14 March 1967.[3] He was the son of Frederick William Soames, who ran Soames Brewery, Wrexham.[4]

It has been listed Grade II on the National Heritage List for England since May 1953.[5]

It has been home to former Conservative cabinet minister Owen Paterson and his late wife Rose Paterson,[6][7][8] since at least 2008.[9] Rose Paterson was found dead in woods near the house in 2020, and the coroner later returned a verdict of suicide.[8]