Alderley House is a mid-19th century Grade II listed country house designed by Lewis Vulliamy and built for Robert Blagden Hale in the Cotswold village of Alderley, near Wotton-under-Edge in Gloucestershire, England. It was built on the site of The Lower House, Sir Matthew Hale's original 17th-century manor house, and is situated immediately to the southwest of St Kenelm's Church. In 2009 it was sold to an American oil tycoon, who restored the house as a private residence after 70 years serving as the private preparatory school Rose Hill School, Alderley. Brief history The first 350 years' history of the property is linked with that of the Hale family, with The Lower House (the original property on the present day Alderley House site) having been constructed by Sir Matthew Hale after he acquired the manor of Alderley in 1656. In the latter part of the 18th century, The Upper House (the original manor house) was rebuilt by another Matthew Hale on the lower slopes of nearby Winner Hill, and this property subsequently became the family's principal seat. In 1859, the position was reversed yet again when Robert Blagden Hale had The Upper House completely demolished and The Lower House substantially demolished, having the latter rebuilt in a more fashionable style to the designs of Lewis Vulliamy. Materials from both of the earlier houses were used in the construction of the new property. Both The Lower House and its successor, Alderley House, were principally used by the Hale family as a private residence until the early 20th century. However, c. 1925 it started to be used as a crammer and in 1939 it became the home of Rose Hill School when it relocated from Banstead, Surrey following the outbreak of World War II. In the same year the late-10th century will of Æthelgifu was discovered in one of the outbuildings. The property served as the private preparatory school Rose Hill School, Alderley for the next 70 years until the summer of 2009 when the school merged with Querns Westonbirt School, with the resulting Rose Hill Westonbirt School co-locating with Westonbirt School in nearby Tetbury. Relocation of the school rendered the site at Alderley redundant, and it was sold: Alderley House once again returned to functioning as a private residence. Detailed history Sir Matthew Hale's original 17th-century house The Hales of Alderley were the leading gentry family in the Wotton-under-Edge area of