Listed Building: WILLASTON OLD HALL (1387666)

NESTON SJ3377 794-1/10/116 Willaston Village HADLOW ROAD (East side) Willaston Old Hall 27/12/62 GV II* Manor house. Dated 1558; C19 alterations and additions. For Hugh Bennett. Red brick with red sandstone quoins and dressings and sandstone plinth; slate roof with stone coped gables, moulded kneelers and ball finials; diagonally set brick stack with octagonal pots. EXTERIOR: 3-storey, 5-bay flush quoined front, outer and centre bays gabled and projecting. Centre bay has studded oak door on ornamental wrought-iron strap hinges beneath shaped lintel, dated and inscribed H.B. Ground and first floor windows are of 4 mullioned and transomed lights; on second floor, of 4 mullioned lights beneath floating cornices in gabled bays, 3 mullioned lights in intermediate bays. Mullions and transoms are ovolo moulded. Continuous moulded cornices over ground and first floors, that to the first floor continued across the gable-end as brick dentilled band. Left gable end has mullioned windows on all floors. INTERIOR: old chamfered beams and exposed joists to ground and first floor ceilings. Firebeams in the hall and kitchen. The lounge has ceiling height oak panelling with fluted Jacobean frieze, and a C19 bay window. The staircase has carved strings based on strapwork, carved newel finials and splat balusters. The first floor south bedroom has a stone mantel with the Bennett arms on a shield at the centre of the frieze with flower and leaf decoration. Moulded opening with slightly pointed soffit. Stonework bears remains of naive painted decoration. To the left of the mantel at frieze level is a shield with a lion rampant. The room contains an original plastered frieze with leaf motif on the north wall. Listing NGR: SJ3301977667