Tatton Old Hall
Encyclopedia
Tatton Old Hall is a historic building in Tatton Park
near Knutsford
, Cheshire
, England. It has been designated by English Heritage
as a Grade II* listed building which is owned by the National Trust
and administered in conjunction with Cheshire East Council. Its site is a Scheduled Ancient Monument.
, which has since disappeared. It was built as a manor house
around the start of the 15th century by either the Stanley family or Sir Richard Brereton. By 1585 a two-storey wing had been added at a right angle to the original house by Sir Thomas Egerton
, Lord Chancellor
of England. In the 1770s a new hall was built on the site of the present Tatton Hall
and the old hall was used as a farmhouse and then a century later converted into three estate cottages. It remained in the possession of the Egerton family until 1958 when it was given to the National Trust
.
, but this was replaced by brick in the late 17th or early 18th century. The hall is L-shaped and externally appears to have two storeys. Internally the floors which were added to the older hall have been removed, exposing the complex wooden roof. This has a carved wall plate
, carved beams and three tiers of quatrefoil
wind braces. The hall contains a gallery which was added in the 20th century. The newer wing retains its two floors and is divided into separate rooms.
barn dating from the beginning of the 17th century which was originally in a farm at Frodsham
, Cheshire. In a dilapidated state, it was removed from its original site in 1976 and rebuilt and restored at Tatton. The barn is 70 feet (21 m) long and contains four crucks on sandstone
plinth
s. The long walls of the barn are timber-framed
with brick infill on a stone base and the short sides are in plain brick. The roof is thatched
in Norfolk
reed
with sedge
on the ridge. On the southeast front are two double doors and one single door; on the northwest front is one single door. Internally, cambered ties
have been inserted between the crucks. The barn is listed Grade II.
Tatton Park
Tatton Park is a historic estate in Cheshire, England, to the north of the town of Knutsford. It contains a mansion, Tatton Hall, a manor house dating from medieval times, Tatton Old Hall, gardens, a farm and a deer park of . It is a popular visitor attraction and hosts over 100 events annually...
near Knutsford
Knutsford
Knutsford is a town and civil parish in the unitary authority area of Cheshire East and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, in North West 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. 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 which is owned by the National Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
and administered in conjunction with Cheshire East Council. Its site is a Scheduled Ancient Monument.
History
The hall stands on a site near to the village of TattonTatton, Cheshire
Tatton is a civil parish in the Borough of Cheshire East and ceremonial county of Cheshire in England. It has a population of 35.-See also:* Tatton Old Hall* Tatton Park* Tatton Park Gardens* Tatton Park Flower Show-References:...
, which has since disappeared. It was built as a 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...
around the start of the 15th century by either the Stanley family or Sir Richard Brereton. By 1585 a two-storey wing had been added at a right angle to the original house by Sir Thomas Egerton
Thomas Egerton, 1st Viscount Brackley
Thomas Egerton, 1st Viscount Brackley PC was an English Nobleman, Judge and Statesman who served as Lord Keeper and Lord Chancellor for twenty-one years.-Early life, education and legal career:...
, Lord Chancellor
Lord Chancellor
The Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, or Lord Chancellor, is a senior and important functionary in the government of the United Kingdom. He is the second highest ranking of the Great Officers of State, ranking only after the Lord High Steward. The Lord Chancellor is appointed by the Sovereign...
of England. In the 1770s a new hall was built on the site of the present Tatton Hall
Tatton Hall
Tatton Hall is a country house in Tatton Park near Knutsford, Cheshire, England . It has been designated as a Grade I listed building which is owned by the National Trust and administered in conjunction with Cheshire East Council.-History:...
and the old hall was used as a farmhouse and then a century later converted into three estate cottages. It remained in the possession of the Egerton family until 1958 when it was given to the National Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
.
Architecture
The hall is built in red brick with a stone slate roof. It was originally timber-framedTimber 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...
, but this was replaced by brick in the late 17th or early 18th century. The hall is L-shaped and externally appears to have two storeys. Internally the floors which were added to the older hall have been removed, exposing the complex wooden roof. This has a carved wall plate
Wall plate
A wall plate, a structural element in the light frame construction method known as platform framing, is a horizontally laid structural element at right angles to the load-bearing part of the vertical load of a building...
, carved beams and three tiers of quatrefoil
Quatrefoil
The word quatrefoil etymologically means "four leaves", and applies to general four-lobed shapes in various contexts.-In heraldry:In heraldic terminology, a quatrefoil is a representation of a flower with four petals, or a leaf with four leaflets . It is sometimes shown "slipped", i.e. with an...
wind braces. The hall contains a gallery which was added in the 20th century. The newer wing retains its two floors and is divided into separate rooms.
Cruck barn
In the grounds of the hall is a cruckCruck
A cruck or crook frame is a curved timber, one of a pair, which supports the roof of a building, used particularly in England. This type of timber framing consists of long, generally bent, timber beams that lean inwards and form the ridge of the roof. These posts are then generally secured by a...
barn dating from the beginning of the 17th century which was originally in a farm at Frodsham
Frodsham
Frodsham is a market town and civil parish in the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. Its population is 8,982. It is approximately south of Runcorn, 16 miles south of Liverpool, and approximately south-west of Manchester...
, Cheshire. In a dilapidated state, it was removed from its original site in 1976 and rebuilt and restored at Tatton. The barn is 70 feet (21 m) long and contains four crucks on 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,...
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...
s. The long walls of the barn are 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...
with brick infill on a stone base and the short sides are in plain brick. The roof is thatched
Thatching
Thatching is the craft of building a roof with dry vegetation such as straw, water reed, sedge , rushes, or heather, layering the vegetation so as to shed water away from the inner roof. It is a very old roofing method and has been used in both tropical and temperate climates...
in Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
reed
Phragmites
Phragmites, the Common reed, is a large perennial grass found in wetlands throughout temperate and tropical regions of the world. Phragmites australis is sometimes regarded as the sole species of the genus Phragmites, though some botanists divide Phragmites australis into three or four species...
with sedge
Cyperaceae
Cyperaceae are a family of monocotyledonous graminoid flowering plants known as sedges, which superficially resemble grasses or rushes. The family is large, with some 5,500 species described in about 109 genera. These species are widely distributed, with the centers of diversity for the group...
on the ridge. On the southeast front are two double doors and one single door; on the northwest front is one single door. Internally, cambered ties
Tie (engineering)
A tie, structural tie, connector, or structural connector is a structural component designed to resist tension. It is the opposite of a strut, which is designed to resist compression. Ties are generally made of galvanized steel...
have been inserted between the crucks. The barn is listed Grade II.