Shugborough Hall at the heart of England, and at the centre of new ideas in the arts and sciences which can still be as inspiring as they were in the 18th century.

Its creator Thomas Anson has long seemed a shady figure. He left very few written records. Shugborough is his memorial.

Recent research is shedding new light on his long life (1695-1773) and on the importance of the eccentric visionary astronomer and architect Thomas Wright (1711-1786) who worked here in the 1740s.

These pages are written and edited by Andrew Baker who has explored Shugborough for over twenty years. They aim to be as factual as possible and new material will be added and errors corrected as evidence comes to light.

Any opinions or conjectures are Andrew Baker’s own. If you know of any historical material that might be useful and relevant please let us know.

Follow the links below to explore the academy.

The Anson’s family connections with the powerful and with new ideas, and the fanciful landscape of Shugborough in 1748.

Thomas Anson as a guiding force in the Greek Revival – ancient traditions and revolutionary attitudes.

At the centre of Shugborough, a monument that’s a gateway linking  cultural worlds and personal meanings.