Landscape record 14318/4 - Parkland and Gardens at Belmont Hall

<1> Parks and Gardens Data Services Ltd, Various, Parks & Gardens UK, no.369 (Web Site). SCH6814.

Belmont Hall was established in the eleventh century as a monastic site. Currently, the house is a school and part of the grounds is in use as a caravan site.

Belmont Hall has a grazed parkland and a small lake. Within the park there is a five-sided moat and an associated fish pond. These features relate to a medieval monastic grange. Other features include a formal lawn, an ornamental lake, gardens and a walled kitchen garden.

<2> Greenwood, C. & Greenwood J., 1819, Map of the County Palatine of Chester (Maps and Plans). SCH2115.

Greenwood's map depicts a large park associated with Belmont Hall. The park encompasses the area delineated by Pole Lane, Knutsford Road, Belmont Road and Warrington Road, and may includes the plantation established on Budworth Heath (Budworth Heath Covert).

<3> Bryant, A., 1831, Map of the County Palatine of Chester (Maps and Plans). SCH2114.

This map depicts a large park associated with Belmont Hall. The park encompasses the majority of the area delineated by Pole Lane, Knutsford Road, Belmont Road and Warrington Road, and may includes the plantation established on Budworth Heath (Budworth Heath Covert).

<4> See map for surveyor, c.1837-51, Cheshire Tithe Maps and Awards, EDT 173/2 1841 & EDT 352/2 c.1846 (Maps and Plans). SCH3266.

The two tithe maps which cover the area of the parkland depict two drives to the Hall which lead to the junctions of Pole Lane and Belmont Road with Warrington Road. To the north of the Hall is a walled garden and to the west, a lake. To the east of the Hall is the moat. The plot details seem to indicate that the park is restricted to the area adjacent to Warrington Road, though much of the area to the north and north-east of the Hall, is recorded as pasture.

<5> Ordnance Survey, 1881-2, Ordnance Survey County Series (Epoch 1) 6 inch to 1 mile - Cheshire, SJ67NW, 1881-1882 (Maps and Plans). SCH2474.

This map depicts the area of the park as a shaded area. The park is located along the full length of Warrington Road between the junctions with Pole Lane and Belmont Road. Apart from the walled garden, the park does not far to the north-east of the Hall.

<6> Ordnance Survey, 1871-1882, Ordnance Survey County Series (Epoch 1) 25 inch to 1 mile - Cheshire, SJ6578, 1877 (Maps and Plans). SCH2462.

This map depicts two glasshouses and other buildings associated with the walled garden and a fountain in the middle. A kennels is located to the south-east of the Hall, a boathouse adjacent to the lake and gate lodges where the drives meet Warrington Road.

<7> The GeoInformation Group, 2005, 1940s RAF Aerial Photographs from Operation Review (Aerial Photograph). SCH4608.

The parkland contains many trees and the walled garden is still in use.

<8> Huntings Surveys Ltd, 1971-1973, 1971-1973 County Survey (Aerial Photograph). SCH4881.

An area of the park north of the drive and adjacent to Belmont Road is being cultivated and an atheletics track is visible on the southern side of this same drive. The walled garden appears disused.

<9> Various, Various, Oral communication to the HER, Edwards R, 09/03/2021 (Oral Communication). SCH2330.

A number of new fishing ponds or lakes have been created in the park, in the area north of the original lake. The parkland to the immediate west of the Hall is now a camp and caravan site. The walled garden forms part of a private residence. The Hall now accommodates an independent school and parts of the parkland to the east of the Hall accommodate the school's sports facilities (i.e. tennis courts, playing fields).