Haughton, with its park wall close to the town of Shifnal, was built in the early years of the eighteenth century for the Briggs family whose monuments dating back to the sixteenth century are to be found in St Andrew’s Church, Shifnal.

Oliver Brigges was the first of the family – which originated in Norfolk and later Westmorland – to settle in Shropshire, at Earnstry Park, Tugford, in the mid sixteenth century. The marriage of Oliver’s eldest son, Humphrey, to Anne, the eldest daughter and co-heir of Robert Moreton of Haughton, brought Haughton to the family, and Oliver was buried in St Andrew’s Church on his death in 1596. His monument is a particularly fine alabaster tomb-chest with recumbent figures, which also commemorates his immediate family. Humphrey and Anne’s eldest son, Moreton Briggs, was married to Cryzogon, daughter of Edward Grey of Buildwas Abbey (q.v.), and he was created a baronet in 1641.

The present house at Haughton appears to owe largely to Sir Moreton’s descendant, Sir Humphrey Briggs, 4th Bt (d. 1734), MP for Shropshire and, later, for Wenlock. The main block, of two storeys and seven bays, bears the date 1718 on its southern parapet and was originally of exposed red brick, although now stands white painted. The south front – which is visible from the London to Holyhead road and must surely have been the original entrance front – has shouldered windows, whilst projecting chimney stacks flank each side of the block and a central stack with three shafts rising from the roof adds emphasis to the mansion. On the other side of the house, the north front’s windows have keystones, whilst the central first floor window has a moulded surround and flanking side scrolls; below this is a single storey pedimented Ionic doorcase with bolection moulded frieze. The door leads directly into the house beneath the main staircase, which has three twisted balusters to a tread and rises around three sides of the hall. By the middle of the eighteenth century a straight formal avenue crossed the grounds from east to west, with the grounds formally landscaped, and this was probably effected at the same time as the building of the new house.

Sir Humphrey was succeeded by his younger brother, Sir Hugh Briggs, 5th Bt (d. 1767).