Rode Estate has been in the ownership of the Wilbraham family since 1669 when it was bought from Randle Rode by his cousin Roger Wilbraham. The Wilbrahams were prominent landowners in Cheshire at that time and Rode was purchased for Randle, the younger son of Roger Wilbraham of Townsend, now part of Nantwich, for £2,400.
Roger was decended from Sir Richard de Wilburgham, Sherrif of Cheshire in 1259. Rode passed through the male line until 1900 when Katherine, an only child, succeeded her father General Sir Richard. She had married Sir George Baker in 1872 and, by Royal Licence,they assumed Wilbraham as their principal surname.

	The current custodians of the family home are Sir Richard and Lady Baker-Wilbraham.