Site Event/Activity record ECH6425 - Halton Grange - Research and Recording

Research carried out on the historic landscape and gardens of Halton Grange. Halton Grange was built in the 1850s as a residential property for a local soap manufacturer. The grounds were laid out in 1853-4 by Edward Kemp. In 1932 the property and a small portion of the surrounding land were sold to Runcorn District Council who took it over as council offices. Many original features survive inside the building and elements of Kemp’s layout and features remain in the grounds. The kitchen garden has been lost to council offices. Halton Grange is now known as Runcorn Town Hall and belongs to Halton Borough Council. Principal remaining features House, listed Grade II (List Entry Number: 1104859) The long walk Sandstone retaining wall with niche Sections of wall associated with the kitchen garden and outbuildings An ornamental pond Parkland trees Halton Grange is now known as Runcorn Town Hall, and the former grounds are Runcorn Town Hall Park. The site is bounded to the west by Heath Lane, to the north and east by the B5155, separating the park from 1950s housing, and to the south by Boston Avenue. Vehicular access is from Heath Lane via the original entrance drive which leads to a large car park situated on part of the former pleasure grounds and parkland north-west of the house. Vehicles leave the car park via a new drive and exit the site south of the original entrance on Heath Lane. The original entrance gate piers have been relocated to a pedestrian entrance alongside and replaced with replica piers (1). The lodge was demolished many years ago. There are additional pedestrian entrances on Boston Avenue connected to the main pedestrian path crossing the site from north to south (F) The relicts of original parkland tree groups and single parkland trees remain (3). The ornamental pond, which has some large stone boulders in the banks and ornamental planting, no longer has a bridge to the island (as shown on the First Edition Ordnance Survey B) and is enclosed by railings (9 &10). The path linking the pond with the flower garden has been removed. The historic arrival space by the west elevation has been retained. However the entrance to the Town Hall is now via a modern extension on the north side, approached by a path from the car park that passes the Chinese style Friendship Garden (4). The Chinese style garden and the historic flower garden to the south are enclosed by railings separating them from the park. The long walk and flower garden are only accessible from the Town Hall. The flower garden panels have been replaced by a simple lawn with shrub border (7). The retaining section of the “handsome ornamental wall” described by Kemp remains complete with niche (8). The conservatory no longer exists and the site of the walled kitchen garden is occupied by a 1960s office block, re-clad and refurbished in 2007.11 Sections of walls associated with the kitchen garden and outbuildings remain as part of the current service complex (11 & 12) The grounds are now developed as a public amenity, including play areas for children of all ages and paths for dog walkers and to provide links from the shopping area to the housing estate built by the council in the 1950s.