Listed Building: WILLASTON HALL (1138556)

WILLASTON C.P. SJ 56 SE 8/104 (Off) PARK ROAD Willaston Hall 10.6.52 - II* Small country house. 1737 for John Bailey with early C19 additions and alterations. Red Flemish bond brick with painted ashlar dressings and a tile roof. Two storeys with an attic to the central portion. Entrance front: The front was heavily remodelled in the early C19. At this time the lateral, slightly recessed, wings were added as was the walling to the attic storey although the original roof appears to have been maintained, the dormer construction of the windows being masked by a curtain wall. At the same time the number of bays in the central block was reduced from five to three retaining the central first floor window and imitating its form to either side. There is a slightly projecting plinth common to the whole façade but with a moulded top to the central three bays. Chamfered quoins to the corners of the central portion and of the lateral wings. Central doorway above a flight of four C20 steps with a 6-panel C20 door and a panelled stone surround with a pediment supported by consoles and the projecting keystone. To either side are early C19 tripartite windows with central lights of 3 x 4 panes and lateral lights of 1 x 4 panes. These have panelled wooden surrounds. Band between ground and first floor which has three windows of 3 x 4 sash panes and moulded stone sills and flat-arched heads with central keystones. Moulded cornice above this, originally terminating the wall. The attic has three windows of 3 x 3 panes with flat-arched heads similar to those at first floor level. Moulded stone coping to the brick parapet which has a central gadrooned and spiral-fluted urn with a gadrooned lip and simpler gadrooned and fluted urns to the corners. The hipped roof has two lateral chimney stacks of square section of c.1737 having a recessed arched panel to the centre of each side with stone springers and keystones. To either side are the early C19 wings which have windows similar to those at the centre but with pedimented heads. To the first floor are sash windows of 3 x 4 panes. There is a band below the brick parapet which has a similar coping and corner urns as the central block. To the inner angles of these lateral wings are displaced rainwater heads with JOB/1737 in relief presumably originally attached to the sides of the house. The left hand side has a later C19 canted bay window to the ground floor. The right hand side has three ground floor windows each of 3 x 5 panes with marble steps below and 3 first floor windows of 3 x 4 panes. The rear has two joined gables with early C19 brickwork filling the lower part of the valley. To the ground floor at either side are cambered bow windows with semi-conical roofs. Interior: Pine 6-panel doors to the ground floor. The library has raised and fielded panelling and a C20 fireplace flanked by female terms with a sunburst over. Two of the upstairs rooms have bolection moulded C18 panelling and painted stone fire-surrounds with projecting fluted keystones. Source: Nikolaus Pevsner - The Buildings of England - Cheshire and Edward Hubbard Listing NGR: SJ6738452539