Original sentence: A hall has been here since John Port had the first one built in 1546.Both William Congreve and Dr Samuel Johnson stayed at the hall when it was owned by the Port family.He is said to have converted many to Christianity, and his shrine became a point of pilgrimage in the Middle Ages, it being reputed to be able to work miraculous cures.He later moved to New Zealand and built another Ilam Hall (see Links below).Ilam is about 4 miles from Ashbourne at the entrance to the scenic Manifold Valley.Ilam, New Zealand.It was Watts-Russell who was responsible for the Swiss look of Ilam; he found that the valley and surrounding hills reminded him of the Alps, and consequently had some new cottages built in the Swiss style and rehoused most of the villagers (who were living in estate-owned houses anyway).Originally Saxon, the church is now mainly 17th and 19th century following restoration in those two centuries.Some of its Saxon origins can be seen in its carved stone Saxon font, and in two stone cross shafts in the churchyard.The site of the homestead was one of the main social centres of early Christchurch society.This is a large old house near the entrance of Ilam Hall
Edited sentence: A hall has been here since John Port had the 1st one built in 1546.Both William Congreve and Dr Samuel Johnson have stayed at the hall when it was owned by the Port family.He converted many to Christianity.He later moved to New Zealand built another Ilam Hal (see Links below).His shrine became a point of pilgrimage in the Middle Ages and is reputed to be able to work miraculous cures.Ilam is about 4 miles from Ashbourne at the entrance to the beautiful Manifold Valley.It was Watts-Russell who is responsible for the Swiss look of Ilam, he found that the valley and surrounding hills reminded him of the Alps.Originally Saxon, the church is now mainly 17th and 19th century - the two occasions when it was restored.So he had some new cottages built in the Swiss style and rehoused most of the villagers, (they were living in estate owned houses anyway).Some of its Saxon origins can be seen in its carved stone Saxon font, and two stone cross shafts in the churchyard.The site of the homestead was one of the main social centers of early Christchurch society.This is a splendid large old house near the entrance of Ilam Hall