Summary
Eaton Mascott takes its distinctive name from the Mascott family, who were its medieval owners in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. From them the property passed through various hands until it was held by the Thornes family from the fourteenth century until 1635. In that year, the place was acquired by William Dyos who sold it on, in 1639, to Pontesbury Owen (1612–1652) whose family had previously been settled at Albrightlee, north-east of Shrewsbury.
Pontesbury Owen of Eaton Mascott was a Royalist in the Civil Wars and, afterwards, was recorded in 1655 as having been compounded for £601 14s. This fine was probably met by his son and namesake, who owned the estate from his father’s death until 1678, when he was succeeded by his grandson Edward (1669–1722). Parts of the H-plan main body of the house must have been built by the Owens – the south-west portion appearing to be the older section which, during restoration work in the 1990s, was found to contain timber-framed gables which appeared to be of mid seventeenth century date. Forrest suggested that Pontesbury Owen’s widow, Mary had been responsible for much building, noting the former brewhouse at the rear of the Hall, which is ornamented by blind arcading and which bore both Mary’s and her son’s initials and the date 1686. The son, Edward, married Katherine Paget in 1694 and was survived at his death by his two daughters, Mary and Susanna. Mary succeeded to Eaton Mascott and was thrice married: firstly in 1724 to Edward Owen of Condover (q.v.) who died in 1728; secondly to William Francke of Preston, Lancashire, who died in 1736; and, lastly, to Edward Rogers.
Forrest recorded a stone on the back of the house which bore the Franckes’ initials and the date 1734, which subsequent historians have clung to as the date in which the south front of the house, which marks the formal entrance front, was built. Flanked by a pair of gabled wings redolent of the late seventeenth century, the recessed three bay centre of this elevation of the house is surmounted by a central open pediment set with a thermal window and flanked by carved scrolls.
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- The Country Houses of Shropshire , pp. 236 - 239Publisher: Boydell & BrewerPrint publication year: 2021