Building record 4556/1/1 - Buglawton Hall School

<1> English Heritage, 2005, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, 1087062 (Digital Archive). SCH4666.

A late eighteenth century former mansion in a small park. Largely stuccoed; 2 storeys. Of 3 bays, the sides slightly advanced. 5 sash windows overall; plain parapet with crude castellation; battlemented porch; large bay window on right-hand returned side. Brick and part stone rubble outbuildings on east side

<2> Ormerod, G., 1882, The History of the County Palatine and City of Chester, vol III p.41-2 (Book). SCH1389.

The halls '…former appearance is completely concealed under recent alterations.'

<3> de Figueiredo P & Treuherz J, 1988, Cheshire Country Houses, p.220 (Book). SCH785.

A castellated house with various incoherent additions. At the core is a sixteenth century brick and timber framed building. The building has been extended on several occasions and was stuccoed and castellated in the early nineteenth century, possibly for Samuel Pearson who bought the house in 1823. A service wing and billiard room in the style of George Faulkner Armitage were added in the nineteenth century

<4> Hartwell C, Hyde M, Hubbard E & Pevsner N, 2011, The Buildings of England: Cheshire (2011 revision), p.190 (Book). SCH7059.

Buglawton Hall, Buxton Road 5/8m NE in attractive informal grounds. A C16 or C17 house was absorbed into an early C18 one, which was given a facelift in the early C19 with castellations and Roman cement to the entrance (E) and garden (S) fronts. More of less H shaped, the garden front with very tall sash windows. Around the corner, a two-storey canted castellated proch with a portico of Doric columns and a doorway with a broad fanlight. Exposed brick, rear and W sides, showing signs of rebuilding and alteration. Celing Timbers in the low N portion suggest a substantial earlier building and a stone fireplace in the S wall appears to keep some old work, including spice cupboards.

<5> Gifford and Partners, 2007, Buglawton Hall School. Desk Based Assessment (Client Report). SCH4910.

An archaeological desk based assessment of Buglawton School and its environs was carried out in 2007.

The assesment identified that there is moderate to high potential that below ground deposits of medieval or later date exist within the grounds of Buglawton Hall. Given the possibility this may have been the site of a medieval hall that has seen continuous occupation since at least the 12th century.

The Manor of Buglawton was know at Domesday. It is unclear whether the current site is that of the medieval manor, but it would seem likely given the presence of a 15th century barn roof at the stables which was only removed in the 1980s. There is potential for below ground medieval remains.

<6> Field Archaeology Specialists Ltd, 2008, Buglawton Hall, Congleton, Cheshire. Archaeological Building Survey (Client Report). SCH5027.

An historic buildings survey was carried out at Buglawton Hall, Congleton in 2008 in order to inform renovation of the building. Background research and a site visit were carried out during March 2008.
The survey included a photographic survey, drawn record and written description of the building, which were used to inform a discussion of the development of the hall and associated buildings.

It was found that Buglawton Hall consists of a possible late-16th century house which has undergone successive episodes of extension and remodelling through to the 20th century, including its extension to form an ‘U’-plan house, the addition of a substantial service wing in the 19th century, and the rebuilding of the service wing and the addition of a southern extension in the early 20th century.

Several associated outbuildings have also been constructed and remodelled since the 18th century; one, the coach house, may have origins in the 15th century. The site has been comprehensively refurbished since the mid-20th century during its use as a school. The assessment suggests that Buglawton Hall and its associated outbuildings are the product of four centuries of building work.

<7> Cheshire Gardens Trust, 2011 onwards, Research and Recording Report, Buglawton Hall 2006 (Report). SCH6655.

Title to the manor of Buglawton goes back to the early Middle Ages. By the C15 there was a house or barn on the site; evidence are the ´hefty tie beams´ of the stable roof reported by Pevsner. (this has since been replaced with steel).

C16 owners are listed by Ormerod and Twyford. Parts of the stone base, brickwork and half- timbering of an Elizabethan house were incorporated into later extensions and are still visible today. During the 18th century Buglawton Hall and surrounding land was separated from the Manor and sold.

The house we see today, with castellations and stuccoed exterior, was created in the late C18 or
early 19, either for R. Keymer or Samuel Pearson (born 1786), a silk manufacturer in Congleton.
He bought Buglawton Hall in 1823.

Sold in 1947 and became a Residential Special School. Refurbishment and rebuilding work completed in 2009.