Lower Huxley Hall
Encyclopedia
Lower Huxley Hall is a moat
ed manor house
in Cheshire
, England, located about 6.5 miles southeast of Chester
. It lies roughly halfway between the villages of Huxley
(to the southeast) and Hargrave
(to the southwest), It dates from the late 15th century, with major additions and alterations in the 17th century. A small addition was made to the rear in the 19th century. It was originally a courtyard
house, but only two wings remain. The house has been designated by English Heritage
as a Grade II* listed building.
John Tilston inherited the property upon the death of his elder brother Henry in 1613. Their father Ralph Tilston had purchased half of the Huxley estate from a relative Ralph Huxley in 1580. During the English Civil War
the house was taken over by Colonel Croxton and the Parliamentary forces on September 5, 1644 and served as a base for the Siege of Chester
. In 1810 it was described as being a farmhouse, and was still so in 1935.
There is also a Higher Huxley Hall
located less than half a mile immediately to the south which dates to at least the 13th century and is now run as a hotel.
era, with its parapet
and later work dating from the 17th century. It is constructed in ashlar
pink and buff sandstone. On the hall side of the bridge is a semicircular archway. This is in Jacobean
style, and is decorated with scrolls and finial
s. The bridge and archway are listed Grade II*. The moated site on which the house stands is a Scheduled Monument.
The east wing is partly timber-framed
internally, the remainder being constructed in orange brick, with blue brick diapering
. The dressings are in buff sandstone
, and the house is roofed in Welsh slate
with a stone ridge. It has two storeys and an attic, and its west front is symmetrical with three bays
. The end bays project forward and have coped
gable
s. They contain five-light mullion
ed and transomed
windows in both storeys. The centre bay has two three-light mullioned and transomed windows in the lower storey, and a single similar window in the upper storey. Between the storeys in the central bay is a heraldic
plaque. The south wing is in brick on a stone plinth
, and also has mullioned and transomed windows. The house has been designated by English Heritage
as a Grade II* listed building.
Today the house is set in a 4-acre garden, described as having "follies; pergolas; arches; a moat; herbaceous, shrub and rose beds; within a picturesque arid romantic setting."
Moat
A moat is a deep, broad ditch, either dry or filled with water, that surrounds a castle, other building or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. In some places moats evolved into more extensive water defences, including natural or artificial lakes, dams and sluices...
ed manor house
Manor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
in 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, located about 6.5 miles southeast of Chester
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
. It lies roughly halfway between the villages of Huxley
Huxley, Cheshire
Huxley is a small rural village and civil parish in the Borough of Cheshire West and Chester and ceremonial county of Cheshire in England. It has a population of 220. It is home to Huxley Primary School.-External links:...
(to the southeast) and Hargrave
Hargrave, Cheshire
Hargrave is a village in the civil parish of Foulk Stapleford, the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester, and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England.St Peter's Church, Hargrave is a Grade II* listed building....
(to the southwest), It dates from the late 15th century, with major additions and alterations in the 17th century. A small addition was made to the rear in the 19th century. It was originally a courtyard
Courtyard
A court or courtyard is an enclosed area, often a space enclosed by a building that is open to the sky. These areas in inns and public buildings were often the primary meeting places for some purposes, leading to the other meanings of court....
house, but only two wings remain. The house 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 house was originally the seat of the Clive family.John Tilston inherited the property upon the death of his elder brother Henry in 1613. Their father Ralph Tilston had purchased half of the Huxley estate from a relative Ralph Huxley in 1580. During the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
the house was taken over by Colonel Croxton and the Parliamentary forces on September 5, 1644 and served as a base for the Siege of Chester
Siege of Chester
The Siege of Chester was a siege of the First English Civil War, between February 1645 and January 1646, with an intermission during the summer of 1645....
. In 1810 it was described as being a farmhouse, and was still so in 1935.
There is also a Higher Huxley Hall
Higher Huxley Hall
HIgher Huxley Hall is a manor house, now a luxury 5-star hotel, in Cheshire, England, located about 7 miles southeast of Chester. It lies west of the village of Huxley. Lower Huxley Hall lies less than half a mile to the immediate north of the hall. It dates from at least the 13th century and today...
located less than half a mile immediately to the south which dates to at least the 13th century and is now run as a hotel.
Architecture
The house is approached by a bridge over the moat. This dates from the late medievalMiddle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
era, with its parapet
Parapet
A parapet is a wall-like barrier at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony or other structure. Where extending above a roof, it may simply be the portion of an exterior wall that continues above the line of the roof surface, or may be a continuation of a vertical feature beneath the roof such as a...
and later work dating from the 17th century. It is constructed in ashlar
Ashlar
Ashlar is prepared stone work of any type of stone. Masonry using such stones laid in parallel courses is known as ashlar masonry, whereas masonry using irregularly shaped stones is known as rubble masonry. Ashlar blocks are rectangular cuboid blocks that are masonry sculpted to have square edges...
pink and buff sandstone. On the hall side of the bridge is a semicircular archway. This is in 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:...
style, and is decorated with scrolls and finial
Finial
The finial is an architectural device, typically carved in stone and employed decoratively to emphasize the apex of a gable or any of various distinctive ornaments at the top, end, or corner of a building or structure. Smaller finials can be used as a decorative ornament on the ends of curtain rods...
s. The bridge and archway are listed Grade II*. The moated site on which the house stands is a Scheduled Monument.
The east wing is partly timber-framed
Timber framing
Timber framing , or half-timbering, also called in North America "post-and-beam" construction, is the method of creating structures using heavy squared off and carefully fitted and joined timbers with joints secured by large wooden pegs . It is commonplace in large barns...
internally, the remainder being constructed in orange brick, with blue brick diapering
Diapering
Diaper is any of a wide range of decorative patterns used in a variety of works of art, such as stained glass, heraldic shields, architecture, silverwork etc. Its chief use is in the enlivening of plain surfaces.-Etymology:...
. The dressings are in buff sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
, and the house is roofed in Welsh slate
Slate
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...
with a stone ridge. It has two storeys and an attic, and its west front is symmetrical with three 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:...
. The end bays project forward and have coped
Coping (architecture)
Coping , consists of the capping or covering of a wall.A splayed or wedge coping slopes in a single direction; a saddle coping slopes to either side of a central high point....
gable
Gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system being used and aesthetic concerns. Thus the type of roof enclosing the volume dictates the shape of the gable...
s. They contain five-light mullion
Mullion
A mullion is a vertical structural element which divides adjacent window units. The primary purpose of the mullion is as a structural support to an arch or lintel above the window opening. Its secondary purpose may be as a rigid support to the glazing of the window...
ed and transomed
Transom (architectural)
In architecture, a transom is the term given to a transverse beam or bar in a frame, or to the crosspiece separating a door or the like from a window or fanlight above it. Transom is also the customary U.S. word used for a transom light, the window over this crosspiece...
windows in both storeys. The centre bay has two three-light mullioned and transomed windows in the lower storey, and a single similar window in the upper storey. Between the storeys in the central bay is a heraldic
Heraldry
Heraldry is the profession, study, or art of creating, granting, and blazoning arms and ruling on questions of rank or protocol, as exercised by an officer of arms. Heraldry comes from Anglo-Norman herald, from the Germanic compound harja-waldaz, "army commander"...
plaque. The south wing is in brick on a stone plinth
Plinth
In architecture, a plinth is the base or platform upon which a column, pedestal, statue, monument or structure rests. Gottfried Semper's The Four Elements of Architecture posited that the plinth, the hearth, the roof, and the wall make up all of architectural theory. The plinth usually rests...
, and also has mullioned and transomed windows. The house 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.
Today the house is set in a 4-acre garden, described as having "follies; pergolas; arches; a moat; herbaceous, shrub and rose beds; within a picturesque arid romantic setting."