Essex had strong Staffordshire connections, being the 11th Baron Ferrers of Chartley and Lord Lieutenant of the county; this could be why Eld came into possession of Seighford – and is generally considered to be the original owner of the Hall.

A promoter and benefactor of the Stafford General Infirmary (built 1769–72), a full-length portrait of him holding the original plans was painted by renowned society painter Thomas Gainsborough.

By that time it seems that the house had been extended considerably with the addition of brick-built wings to either side of the original; the possible dates for these is considered later.

One obvious difference is the fact that the east gable of this range seems to be intact – with shallow jetties at first and attic floor levels; it is now of brick with painted framing.

Seighford Hall was described in White's Directory of 1834 as ‘an ancient half-timbered house with modern wings, standing in a small but well-wooded park, on the west side of the village’.