Editing Stalbridge (section)

=== Stalbridge House ===
In 1618 [[Mervyn Tuchet, 2nd Earl of Castlehaven]], who had inherited Stalbridge Park from his father, decided to build a [[mansion]] house on his Stalbridge estate. He enclosed an area used as [[common land]] to the northwest of the church, moving tenant farmers out, and built a [[Jacobean style]] mansion, the fifth largest house in [[Dorset]].

In 1631 the earl's eldest son [[James Tuchet, 3rd Earl of Castlehaven|James]] brought a case against him for "unnatural practices", and he was subsequently [[execution (legal)|execute]]d.

James sold the house to [[Richard Boyle, 1st Earl of Cork]]. After his father's death, the scientist [[Robert Boyle]] became [[Lord of the Manor]], and the house was his residence between 1644 and 1652.  It was here that he conducted many of his experiments.<ref name=mpr/>

At some point during the house's history a {{convert|2|m|ftin|adj=mid|-high}} stone wall was built around the boundary of Stalbridge Park. There is some argument as to when and why the wall was built. It may have been commissioned by Castlehaven as a status symbol, work for French [[prisoners of war]] during the [[Napoleonic Wars]], or as work for local labourers in times of high unemployment.

By 1822 the house was in poor repair and the owner, [[Henry Paget, 1st Marquess of Anglesey]], had it demolished.<ref name=lth>Denys Kay-Robinson, 1984. ''The Landscape of Thomas Hardy''. Exeter, Webb & Bower {{ISBN|0-86350-020-X}}</ref> By 1827 all that remained was the raised area where it had stood.  The stone was sold off and much of it is in use elsewhere in the town, including the large farm house which now stands in the park.

There are many popular local myths and ghost stories about the demise of the house, mostly involving a fire destroying the house.

Stalbridge Park features in [[Thomas Hardy's Wessex]] as "Stapleford Park".<ref name=lth/>