Monument record 4549/5/0 - Backford Hall: Webb's Park and Garden

Ormerod records that the grounds were laid out by John Webb (1).

The tithe map shows a park similar in size to the extant nineteenth century park designed by Grey (see CHER 4549/4/0). The eighteenth century house (CHER 4549/2/0) is in a similar location to the present Backford Hall (CHER 4549/1/0). However an area to the immediate east is still part of the village and Church and Gordon Lanes have yet to be realigned (see CHER 4549/0/9). The belts of trees surrounding the three fields (described as pasture in the award) to the north of the Hall are established and are shown as containing paths. Further planting and paths are indicated along the Chester to Birkenhead road. The drive is on a slightly different alignment and runs to the west of the house. To the west is an open area described on the award as a meadow and containing a small pond. Between the pond is a northwest to southeast aligned row of trees. A path is shown connecting the Hall to the Church (2).

Some mature trees including some large open grown oaks, sweet chestnut and cedar, are thought to be 18th century or earlier (3).

It’s possible that some of the boundary walls and railings are contemporaneous with Webb's Park and Garden. The date (1774) on the keystone above the doorway between the park and the church would seem to support this (4).

<1> Ormerod, G., 1882, The History of the County Palatine and City of Chester, Vol.2 p.366 (Book). SCH1389.

<2> See map for surveyor, c.1837-51, Cheshire Tithe Maps and Awards, EDT 31/1 & 2 (Maps and Plans). SCH3266.

<3> Cheshire Gardens Trust, 2011 onwards, Research and Recording Report, Backford Hall (Report). SCH6655.

<4> Various, Various, Oral communication to the HER, Edwards R 09/08/2012 (Oral Communication). SCH2330.