Monument record 5073 - The Shell Cottage and Attached Garden Wall, Wilderness garden at Adlington Hall.

Shell cottage and attached garden wall built mid C18 for Charles Legh in flemish bond red brick with buff sandstone dressings. It has a stone-slate roof and a hexagonal brick chimney, a 1-storey, symmetrical 3-bay front, under a gable. There is raised brick quoining and dentilations under brick-coped gable with stone finials. The end bays have 12-pane sashes with raised brick quoining to the jambs. Large projecting doorcase in brick, but simulating rustication, with a flat stone hood. Has a semi-circular head to pair of ½ glazed oak doors. The hood supports an engaged stone urn with the Legh Monogram and hung with garlands. Interior: Trapezoidel room with 3 walls covered in shells, pebbles and bands of coloured mirrors. Fluted neo-classical fireplace with cast-iron grate. From ceiling to kitchen garden is a stone coped brick wall with a lancet headed opening with brick rustication and a projecting brick hood. Some traces suggest that the whole of the rear was covered by shells at one time.

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