So wrote William Watkins (d. 1849), who demolished and rebuilt the Watkins’ family seat at Shotton after his succession in 1792. The resultant house was evidently a dull Georgian house of three bays and two-and-a-half storeys, although Watkins did incorporate some salvaged painted glass from a study or closet in the old house. A crosier was painted on one of the pieces, and assumed to be associated with Bishop Rowland Lee who had lived at Shotton as a Lord Marcher.

Richard Gough, in The History Of Myddle, supposed that Shotton had belonged to the Kynaston family, possibly from the time of the Norman Conquest. He noted, however, the sale of the estate by Thomas Kynaston in the reign of Charles I when it was purchased by William Watkins. William was under-Sheriff of Shropshire and is thought to have improved the old house at Shotton, building additional offices to improve the convenience of the house.

Gough noted that William Watkins hailed from Whixall, his son Francis was a captain on the Parliamentarian side in the Civil War, and his grandson, William Watkins (1656–1731), an attorney, was the owner in Gough’s time. The family were distinguished for the excellence of their agricultural management, Francis having increased his corn production through marling. This same member of the family, Gough noted, had brought the former communion table to the hall at Shotton from Myddle Church, having purchased a replacement for the parish church.

The Georgian rebuilder of the family’s seat, Watkin Williams Watkins (d. 1849) was the great-grandson of William Watkins (1656–1731). His father, William Watkins was a younger son of the family and had established himself as a surgeon in Leicester.