Monument record 543/2 - Walton Hall Park and Gardens

<1> Peter de Figueiredo (Independent Consultant), 2008, Walton Hall and Gardens, Warrington: Conservation Statement, R4587 (Client Report). SCH9194.

Walton Hall (CHER 543/1) is a Grade II Listed building constructed in the 1830s for Edward Greenall, son of the founder of the Wilderspool Brewery. The current park (circa 171 acres) is the core of a former 7,000 acre estate created by the Greenalls. The Hall was sited with the principal rooms facing east towards Hill Cliffe, distinctively rising some 200ft above the surrounding countryside.

The 1845 Tithe Map shows the main approach to Walton Hall leading from the old Warrington Road to the north, to the bridge over the Bridgewater Canal. This area known as the Lower Park had been created from four fields. From the bridge the approach led southwards, to the east of the house (Bridge House, CHER 543/3), hothouse and farm buildings adjacent to the bridge, through the Home Park, an area of open ground, but with views controlled by plantations, before finally approaching the Hall entrance front from the north-east. The Home Park had also been created from a number of small fields. Only a limited amount of ground around the Hall was in the ownership of the Greenall family in 1845, adjoining farmland being largely excluded from the immediate designed landscape by narrow belts of trees.

During the 19th and early 20th century the family extended their landholding around the Hall. As illustrated on the 1875 OS Ist edition map, the northern approach to the bridge remained, by then tree-lined and with ornamental tree planting within the Lower Park, but south of the bridge took a more circuitous route through the extended Home Park to the Hall. The pleasure grounds immediately around the Hall are also extended by this date comprising areas of terracing, formal planting and an informal woodland circuit path with mixed tree planting in clumps and small groupings and individual plantings of deciduous trees in the parkland beyond. The 1st edition OS also shows tree planting around the glasshouses and stables to the north of the Hall which together with informal planting adjacent to the entrance front would have formed screening in views from the Hall and the main approach.

By circa 1908, the piggeries had been constructed to the north-east of the hall, the stables extended to the north-west and a riding course laid out, all screened by planting in views from the Hall, but with open views towards Hill Cliffe maintained (1910 edition OS). The formal terracing and woodland walks in the pleasure grounds immediately around the Hall had also been extended around a large open area adjoining the domestic offices, which may have been a productive garden.

To the north of the Hall the large conservatory had been constructed together with other new glasshouses and a shippon (1910 edition OS). Between this grouping and the Hall the ground was remodelled with a north-south embankment dividing the park, used for grazing, and the lawned garden area. Planting was drastically reduced adjacent to the Hall to provide controlled views from the entrance front to the conservatory which is fronted by a formal line of planting (1910 edition OS). While earlier glasshouses were carefully screened, the conservatory was clearly designed as an ornamental feature of the designed landscape and provided with a formal setting in views from the main approach to and views out from the entrance front of the Hall.

Following the death of Lord Daresbury in 1938, the Estate was put up for sale. Warrington Council purchased Walton Hall and 171 acres of grounds in 1941. Currently, the grounds of Walton Hall have many overlays relating to uses as a public park and, from 1970, a golf course, but much evidence of the late 19th – early 20th century designed landscape remains including paths, terracing, planting and buildings. The public park and golf course occupy only a part of the former grounds, to the south of the Bridgewater Canal, but as the canal predates the construction of the Hall it formed a ‘natural’ division line in the designed landscape from the 1830s onwards and an appropriate boundary to the present park.

<2> English Heritage, 2005, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, 1136083 (Digital Archive). SCH4666.

Retaining Wall, Balustrades and Steps between Lawns East of Walton Hall - Grade II Listed. Listing NGR: SJ 60067 84925

List Despcription: Retaining Wall, Balustrades and Steps, probably circa 1838, of red sandstone. The wall, in 2 parts divided by flight of 3 stone steps between the lawns, has a chamfered coping above square, urn-shaped balusters between square, coped piers.

<3> See map for surveyor, c.1837-51, Cheshire Tithe Maps and Awards, Higher Walton, 1845 (Maps and Plans). SCH3266.

Walton Hall, Park and Gardens are recorded as follows on the Tithe Award for Higher Walton (1845):-

Plot 71 - Plot Name: Farm Buildings, House, School, Hothouses, Gardens And Yards; Land Use: Building And Garden; Acres 1, Roods 2, Perches 10
Plot 75 - Plot Name: Mansion House Called 'Walton Hall', Stables, Yards, Pleasure Grounds And Gardens; Acres 2, Roods 3, Perches 35
Plot 76 - Plot Name: Plantation; Land Use Woodland; Acres 1, Roods 2, Perches 36
Plot 77 - Plot Name: Part Of Home Park, Formally Part Of Green Meadow; Land Use: Pasture; Acres 3, Roods 0, Perches 25
Plot 78 - Plot Name: Part Of Home Park Formally In Several Fields Viz.Part Of The Barn Meadow, Part Of The Green Meadow, The Higher Short Hill, The Lower Short Hill, Part Of Hughes Hey And A Loont Near Canal; Land Use - Potatoes, Barley & Pasture; Acres 12, Roods 1, Perches 12

<4> Cheshire Gardens Trust, 2011 onwards, Research and Recording Report, Walton Hall, 2016 (Report). SCH6655.

Walton Hall is the ancestral home of the Greenall family (later Lord Daresbury).
The grounds around the hall today are a public park and golf course. Basically they remain much as they were in 1941 when the estate was broken up and Warrington purchased the hall and surrounding land.

Principal remaining features
Walton Hall - the principal building
Conservatory
Stables
Piggeries
Retaining wall, sandstone balustrades and steps between lawns east of Walton Hall2
Sandstone boundary wall
Terraces
Pond
Rockery
Walton Hall Lodge (now lodge to crematorium)
Gates, gatepiers and screens at Walton Hall Lodge