The site of the hall has been continuously owned by members of the same family who have descended from the original Lord of the Manor of Preesall-with-Hackensall, Geoffrey the Crossbowman (Galfridus Arbalastarius). He was a Norman soldier who was granted six carucates of land by Prince John in 1189. The last family member to own the hall was Daniel Hope Elletson, who set up a trust to safeguard the hall's future. The Trust is currently undertaking a number of conservation and restoration projects.