 The estate was purchased by Edward Stratford in 1649 and became the seat of the Stratford family.In 1767 the Merevale sole heiress Penelope Stratford married Richard Geast who had inherited the neighbouring estate of Blyth Hall from his maternal uncle John Dugdale in 1749 and who in 1799 adopted the surname Dugdale.The old 17th century seven bayed manor house was rebuilt in 1840 in monumental style to designs by architect Edward Blore.