Gorse Hall
Encyclopedia
Gorse Hall was the name given to two large houses in Stalybridge
, Greater Manchester
, England
, on a hill bordering Dukinfield
. The first house, Old Gorse Hall, can be traced back to the 17th century and it probably dates from before this. Its ruins can still be seen. The Hall was once part of the Dockenfeld Manor held by Lieutenant–Colonel Robert Duckenfield
, a Parliamentarian
soldier in the English Civil War
. New Gorse Hall was built by John Leech in 1836. Today, both houses are ruined. Their grounds cover approximately 35 acres (141,640.1 m²) of meadow and woodland and are now maintained by a local community group called the Friends of Gorse Hall which has leased the site from the local authority, Tameside
. The aim of the Friends of Gorse Hall is to promote the site for leisure, and educational use.
Tracing back to the death of Lady Dukinfield–Daniel, Gorse Hall passed on to her husband, artist John Astley
(1720?–1787). From him it passed to his relative Francis Dukinfield Astley, a great sportsman. A hunter's Tower was built in 1807.
John Leech one of the many wealthy cotton manufacturers of the district, bought some of the land attached to the Hall from John Astley to build his mills, the ruins of which can still be seen.
Leech's son John, bought the remainder of the estate and with stones from the local quarries built the mansion called the New Gorse Hall in 1836. John had eight children, one being Helen Leech born at Gorse Hall. Helen was the mother of Beatrix Potter
, the famous children’s author.
Gorse Hall was the site of a murder in 1909, where local mill owner George Harry Storrs
was brutally dispatched. The case is examined in The Stabbing of George Harry Storrs by Jonathan Goodman. and featured in an episode of the television series In Suspicious Circumstances in 1995 and Julian Fellowes Investigates: A Most Mysterious Murder
in 2005.
Stalybridge
Stalybridge is a town in the Metropolitan Borough of Tameside in Greater Manchester, England, with a population of 22,568. Historically a part of Cheshire, it is east of Manchester city centre and northwest of Glossop. With the construction of a cotton mill in 1776, Stalybridge became one of...
, Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, on a hill bordering Dukinfield
Dukinfield
Dukinfield is a small town within the Metropolitan Borough of Tameside, in Greater Manchester, England. It lies in central Tameside on the south bank of the River Tame, opposite Ashton-under-Lyne, and is east of the city of Manchester...
. The first house, Old Gorse Hall, can be traced back to the 17th century and it probably dates from before this. Its ruins can still be seen. The Hall was once part of the Dockenfeld Manor held by Lieutenant–Colonel Robert Duckenfield
Robert Duckenfield
Lieutenant Colonel Robert Duckenfield was a Parliamentarian commander during the English Civil War.-Family history:Robert Duckenfield came from Dukinfield in Cheshire and was born to Robert and Frances Duckenfield in 1619. The Duckenfields were a noted local family and their history in Cheshire...
, a Parliamentarian
Roundhead
"Roundhead" was the nickname given to the supporters of the Parliament during the English Civil War. Also known as Parliamentarians, they fought against King Charles I and his supporters, the Cavaliers , who claimed absolute power and the divine right of kings...
soldier in the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
. New Gorse Hall was built by John Leech in 1836. Today, both houses are ruined. Their grounds cover approximately 35 acres (141,640.1 m²) of meadow and woodland and are now maintained by a local community group called the Friends of Gorse Hall which has leased the site from the local authority, Tameside
Tameside
The Metropolitan Borough of Tameside is a metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester in North West England. It is named after the River Tame which flows through the borough and spans the towns of Ashton-under-Lyne, Audenshaw, Denton, Droylsden, Dukinfield, Hyde, Mossley and Stalybridge. Its western...
. The aim of the Friends of Gorse Hall is to promote the site for leisure, and educational use.
History
The history of the place is not well known. Friends of Gorse Hall is trying to research the historical importance of the site.Tracing back to the death of Lady Dukinfield–Daniel, Gorse Hall passed on to her husband, artist John Astley
John Astley (painter)
John Astley was an English portrait painter and amateur architect, known for his "patronage among a vast circle of fashion" as well as a fortune acquired through marriage.-Early life:...
(1720?–1787). From him it passed to his relative Francis Dukinfield Astley, a great sportsman. A hunter's Tower was built in 1807.
John Leech one of the many wealthy cotton manufacturers of the district, bought some of the land attached to the Hall from John Astley to build his mills, the ruins of which can still be seen.
Leech's son John, bought the remainder of the estate and with stones from the local quarries built the mansion called the New Gorse Hall in 1836. John had eight children, one being Helen Leech born at Gorse Hall. Helen was the mother of Beatrix Potter
Beatrix Potter
Helen Beatrix Potter was an English author, illustrator, natural scientist and conservationist best known for her imaginative children’s books featuring animals such as those in The Tale of Peter Rabbit which celebrated the British landscape and country life.Born into a privileged Unitarian...
, the famous children’s author.
Gorse Hall was the site of a murder in 1909, where local mill owner George Harry Storrs
George Harry Storrs
George Harry Storrs was murdered in 1909 by an unknown assailant. The case was featured in BBC One's Julian Fellowes Investigates: A Most Mysterious Murder.-History:...
was brutally dispatched. The case is examined in The Stabbing of George Harry Storrs by Jonathan Goodman. and featured in an episode of the television series In Suspicious Circumstances in 1995 and Julian Fellowes Investigates: A Most Mysterious Murder
Julian Fellowes Investigates: A Most Mysterious Murder
Julian Fellowes Investigates: A Most Mysterious Murder is a British five-part docudrama series produced by Touchpaper Television , which premièred on BBC One on 16 October 2004.-Overview:...
in 2005.