A well-known Shropshire tourist destination with links to William Shakespeare has said it has lost its “digital archive” after a suspected automated operation by Facebook.
Soulton Hall near Wem has written to Meta’s headquarters in California after it lost access to its Soulton Long Barrow page.
The hall has a rich history being the home of Sir Rowland Hill who served as mayor of London and produced one of the first English bibles.
It has many links with Shakespeare, who visited the hall many times, and it is thought to have served as the inspiration for ‘As You Like It’.
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According to custodian Timothy Ashton the page still remains visible but is no longer accessible.
“Since 10 March 2026, the primary digital archives of the estate have been wiped,” said Mr Ashton.
“While the Soulton Long Barrow page remains visible, the administrative lockout has made it difficult for the community to maintain and update the platform, severing a vital link for the families who use the site.”
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He said the issue had an effect on the local community as the change “has degraded the accessibility of the site for those unable to travel to Wem due to mobility or distance”.
“The suspension directly interfered with the release of data regarding Soulton's integrated solar geometry,” said Mr Ashton.
“This 16th-century architectural planning manifests specific optical phenomena during the Easter season, including a Good Friday Projection—a specific alignment that casts the image of a cross within the building—and an Easter Morning Alignment that illuminates an artistic representation of the empty tomb.
“For the first time, the estate was prepared to share a comprehensive digital record of these phenomena.
Mr Ashton confirmed that “formal papers have been dispatched to Meta Headquarters in California” adding that it is “seeking the immediate restoration of these archives, citing the harm caused by leaving 15-year-old records in an unmonitored automated state”.
The Whitchurch Herald has approached Meta’s UK office for comment.
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