Lawton Hall
Encyclopedia
Lawton Hall is a former country house to the east of the village of Church Lawton
, Cheshire
, England. The building has since been used as a hotel, then a school, and has since been converted into separate residential units. It has been designated by English Heritage
as a Grade II listed building.
Reserve Camp. Between 1950 and 1986 the house was a school, the Lawton Hall School. In 1989 plans to turn it into a hotel were passed, but were never implemented. At some time around this period the building was badly damaged by fire. In 1999 a property development company converted the hall into four houses and five apartments. Surrounding buildings were also converted for residential use, and houses were built in the adjoining estate.
roof. The entrance front is symmetrical in nine bays
, with asymmetrical wings on each side. The central three bays project forward and have two storeys. In the middle bay is a round-arched doorway, now blocked but containing a sash window
. At the sides of the doorway are Doric
half-columns, and over the door is a Doric entablature
and a segmental pediment
. Above this is a tall round-arched window surround containing a sash window, above which is another pediment. In the bay on each each side is a round-headed window in the lower storey and a smaller flat-headed window in the storey above. The lateral three bays on each side have 2½ storeys, with larger sash windows in the lower two storeys, and smaller windows above. The exception is the middle bay to the right of the central section that contains a single-storey porch with Doric columns. The right-hand wing has four bays plus a projecting pavilion containing a Venetian window in the lower storey and a diocletian window
above. The left-hand wing has two bays, with a recessed three-bay billiard room beyond. The garden front is also symmetrical and in nine bays. At the centre is a two-storey semi-octagonal bay window
. In its lower storey is a Venetian window that has been converted into a French window. On each side of it are Ionic
pilaster
s, and above it are roundels. Over all this is an arched window.
reported that there was a 17th-century staircase and two Jacobean
fireplaces. The two main rooms in the centre of the house contained plaster ceilings and chimneypieces in Rococo
style. The study to the left of the entrance hall had 17th-century oak panelling, as did three rooms in the attic.
Church Lawton
Church Lawton is a small village and civil parish located in the unitary authority of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire in England...
, Cheshire
Cheshire
Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
, England. The building has since been used as a hotel, then a school, and has since been converted into separate residential units. It has been designated by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
as a Grade II listed building.
History
The estate on which the house stands was in the possession of the Lawton family from at least since the 13th century. The first house on the site burnt down in the early 15th century. This was followed by a more substantial house, which was replaced by the present house in about 1600. Although the core of this house dates from the 17th century, the exterior dates from the middle of the 18th century. Wings were added in the 1830s. The porch was built in about 1860, and a billiard room was added during the 19th century. Although the house was still owned by the Lawton family, it was being used as a hotel in 1906. During the Second World War it was used as a Civil DefenceCivil defense
Civil defense, civil defence or civil protection is an effort to protect the citizens of a state from military attack. It uses the principles of emergency operations: prevention, mitigation, preparation, response, or emergency evacuation, and recovery...
Reserve Camp. Between 1950 and 1986 the house was a school, the Lawton Hall School. In 1989 plans to turn it into a hotel were passed, but were never implemented. At some time around this period the building was badly damaged by fire. In 1999 a property development company converted the hall into four houses and five apartments. Surrounding buildings were also converted for residential use, and houses were built in the adjoining estate.
Exterior
The house is constructed in red brick with stone dressings and a slateSlate
Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. The result is a foliated rock in which the foliation may not correspond to the original sedimentary layering...
roof. The entrance front is symmetrical in nine bays
Bay (architecture)
A bay is a unit of form in architecture. This unit is defined as the zone between the outer edges of an engaged column, pilaster, or post; or within a window frame, doorframe, or vertical 'bas relief' wall form.-Defining elements:...
, with asymmetrical wings on each side. The central three bays project forward and have two storeys. In the middle bay is a round-arched doorway, now blocked but containing a sash window
Sash window
A sash window or hung sash window is made of one or more movable panels or "sashes" that form a frame to hold panes of glass, which are often separated from other panes by narrow muntins...
. At the sides of the doorway are Doric
Doric order
The Doric order was one of the three orders or organizational systems of ancient Greek or classical architecture; the other two canonical orders were the Ionic and the Corinthian.-History:...
half-columns, and over the door is a Doric entablature
Entablature
An entablature refers to the superstructure of moldings and bands which lie horizontally above columns, resting on their capitals. Entablatures are major elements of classical architecture, and are commonly divided into the architrave , the frieze ,...
and a segmental pediment
Pediment
A pediment is a classical architectural element consisting of the triangular section found above the horizontal structure , typically supported by columns. The gable end of the pediment is surrounded by the cornice moulding...
. Above this is a tall round-arched window surround containing a sash window, above which is another pediment. In the bay on each each side is a round-headed window in the lower storey and a smaller flat-headed window in the storey above. The lateral three bays on each side have 2½ storeys, with larger sash windows in the lower two storeys, and smaller windows above. The exception is the middle bay to the right of the central section that contains a single-storey porch with Doric columns. The right-hand wing has four bays plus a projecting pavilion containing a Venetian window in the lower storey and a diocletian window
Diocletian window
Diocletian windows, also called thermal windows, are large semicircular windows characteristic of the enormous public baths of Ancient Rome...
above. The left-hand wing has two bays, with a recessed three-bay billiard room beyond. The garden front is also symmetrical and in nine bays. At the centre is a two-storey semi-octagonal bay window
Bay window
A bay window is a window space projecting outward from the main walls of a building and forming a bay in a room, either square or polygonal in plan. The angles most commonly used on the inside corners of the bay are 90, 135 and 150 degrees. Bay windows are often associated with Victorian architecture...
. In its lower storey is a Venetian window that has been converted into a French window. On each side of it are Ionic
Ionic order
The Ionic order forms one of the three orders or organizational systems of classical architecture, the other two canonic orders being the Doric and the Corinthian...
pilaster
Pilaster
A pilaster is a slightly-projecting column built into or applied to the face of a wall. Most commonly flattened or rectangular in form, pilasters can also take a half-round form or the shape of any type of column, including tortile....
s, and above it are roundels. Over all this is an arched window.
Interior
Inside the building, before the fire and conversion into separate residential units, PevsnerNikolaus Pevsner
Sir Nikolaus Bernhard Leon Pevsner, CBE, FBA was a German-born British scholar of history of art and, especially, of history of architecture...
reported that there was a 17th-century staircase and two Jacobean
Jacobean architecture
The Jacobean style is the second phase of Renaissance architecture in England, following the Elizabethan style. It is named after King James I of England, with whose reign it is associated.-Characteristics:...
fireplaces. The two main rooms in the centre of the house contained plaster ceilings and chimneypieces in Rococo
Rococo
Rococo , also referred to as "Late Baroque", is an 18th-century style which developed as Baroque artists gave up their symmetry and became increasingly ornate, florid, and playful...
style. The study to the left of the entrance hall had 17th-century oak panelling, as did three rooms in the attic.