Sweeney Hall

General information

The Sweeney Country House Hotel, set in the gorgeous rolling Marches, has everything you could want from a Hotel. Few hotels can boast the ability to cater for both a romantic weekend for two to a full blown wedding party but we at the Sweeney like to think we can. We like to extend to our guests the warm welcome that they should expect from a privately owned and run Hotel coupled with the contemporary style that they should expect from a boutique Hotel, not to mention the tranquillity to be found from our glorious Award Winning grounds – the perfect English Countryside setting.

The Sweeney has been owned by the same family since 1993, with Sean taking over full ownership in 2006. Since taking over Sean has rejuvenated the Sweeney, turning it into what it is today. Retaining the best of the character and architecture of the building, he has refurbished the interior to the highest standard and turned the Sweeney into one of the premier boutique hotels in the area. We think that time spent in a hotel should be a treat and at the Sweeney we hope that your stay with us will be!

Please browse our website and get a feel for our hotel and please feel free to leave comments – we would love to hear from you.

THE HISTORY OF THE SWEENEY HALL......

The Sweeney Hall Hotel, or 'Sweeney' as it was known was purchased in 1563 by Arthur Chamber from Henry Fitzlan, Earl of Arundel. The property was sold by his son in 1623 to Thomas Baker, who was in the employ of Mr Chamber, and married his housekeeper. His son Thomas, who, according to history books, erected in 1640 "A new fair house in Sweeney, a handsome pile of buildings', succeeded Mr Baker. He supported the parliamentary side in the civil war, and was made High Sheriff of the county in 1649.

In October 1649, Norry, King of Armes, issued a declaration granting Thomas Baker of Swaney a crest of armes carrying three swans' heads and surmounted by a hand holding a further swan's head. The name "Sweeney" could have derived from the original "Swaney".

The congregational church of Protestant dissenters was formed in the township of Sweeney in 1662 after ejection from Oswestry. The pastor also acted as Chaplin to Mr Baker of Sweeney Hall, in which a pulpit existed. The ancient burial ground of the first nonconformist is still maintained in the grounds of the hall, and includes the grave of "Thomas Baker Esq.", Deceased March 9th, aged 68, AD 1675" Another inscription, which is still legible, reads, "Here lies Mrs Abigail Chetwood, daughter of Sir Richard Chetwood, who died 1st May 1658."

Only the pillars of the entrance gates and supporting wall remains of the "new fair house" of Mr Baker. He died without issue in 1675, an the estate passed to a relative, Thomas Browne, whose family motto "Dead Shame" is incorporated into the stained glass crest above the front door of the present hall.