15/07/2026
DID STRELLEY HALL CHANGE HANDS OVER A GAME OF CARDS?
It's one of the best-known stories in Strelley's history.
Ask around locally and you'll often hear that Nicholas Strelley, the last of the Strelley family to own the Hall, gambled away the estate before it passed to the Edge family.
It's a story that has been told for generations and even features in the Hall's own history.
The documented history tells us that by the late 17th century, the Strelley family were facing difficult times. Years of financial pressures and legal disputes had left the future of the estate uncertain. By 1678, Nottingham lawyer Ralph Edge had purchased Strelley Hall and the surrounding estate, beginning almost 300 years of Edge family ownership.
So, was it really lost over a game of cards?
Or has local folklore simplified a much more complex story of financial hardship, legal battles and changing fortunes?
We may never know the full truth, but what is certain is that Ralph Edge's purchase in 1678 changed the course of Strelley's history forever.
Over the next three centuries, the Edge family would reshape the Hall, influence the development of the village and help preserve much of the character that makes Strelley such a special place today.
Sometimes the stories passed down through generations are just as fascinating as the history itself.
Have you heard the tale of Strelley Hall being lost through gambling? Or were you told a different version of the story?
We'd love to hear the stories that have been passed down in your family.
Follow for more Hidden Stories of Strelley Hall.
