Landscape record 1255/2 - Toft Hall Landscape Park

<1> North West Landscape Group, 1985, Historic Parks and Gardens in Cheshire, C13.6 (Report). SCH1367.

Old parkland and gardens, include an attractive lake; old stone bridge carrying the front drive over the lake, a ha-ha, moat and woodland paths. House seventeenth century (?) and nineteenth century.

<2> Manchester Metropolitan University, 1995, Historic Cheshire Landscapes: Appendix 1 Selected Landscapes and Appendix 2 Full Inventory, Appendix 2 (Unpublished Report). SCH1356.

<3> de Figueiredo P & Treuherz J, 1988, Cheshire Country Houses, p.187-188 (Book). SCH785.

Has a double avenue of chestnut and oak. Payments were made to John Webb between 1810 and 1813 for the remodelling of the park to include a serpentine lake. The park was being replanted c.1988.

<4> Burdett, P. P., 1777, A Survey of the County Palatine of Chester (Maps and Plans). SCH113.

Toft Hall is depicted on this map, but no park is depicted.

<5> Greenwood, C. & Greenwood J., 1819, Map of the County Palatine of Chester (Maps and Plans). SCH2115.

This map depicts an area of parkland at Toft Hall. The parkland is predominantly located south of the road between Lower Farm and Toft Road and north of Middlewich Road. A subcircular lake or pond is depicted to the immediate east of the hall.

<6> Bryant, A., 1831, Map of the County Palatine of Chester (Maps and Plans). SCH2114.

This map depicts an enlarged parkland. The park has been enlarged to the north the road to Lower Farm and land beyond. The map depicts a long lake and three avenues of trees, one associated with the drive, the second parallel to the drive to its' south, and the third associated with the road to Lower Farm. The park has been expanded to the east of Toft Road. Here there are three curving rows of trees (north to south-west aligned) depicted. The location of Toft Lodge at the eastern end of Windmill Wood, suggest that, despite the lack of shading, this was intended to form part of an extended drive to Chelford Road and Ollerton.

<7> Parks and Gardens Data Services Ltd, Various, Parks & Gardens UK (Web Site). SCH6814.

Toft Hall's parkland and gardens were remodelled in 1809. The park was landscaped and a mere and island were constructed. Other features include an arched stone bridge, a ha-ha, a woodland garden and a cat house. There are also remains of a formal garden. Most of the grounds have been converted back to agricultural use.

<8> See map for surveyor, c.1837-51, Cheshire Tithe Maps and Awards, EDT 402/2, c.1848 (Maps and Plans). SCH3266.

Only part of the parkland is depicted in any detail. However, the extent of the parkland can be inferred from comparison with Bryant's 1831 map (see 6).

The tithe map depict the hall and associated buildings to the north-west. The award records the plot surrounding the three sides of the hall as "hall and flower garden". The large plot, immediately adjacent is recorded as "lawn".

To the east is of the hall is the lake, which has a cluster of four islands at its southern end. A further island lies further north. At the northern end is further is and or island like prominence, which is connected to the western bank by a possible causeway. A small building is located here. To the north the lake is little more than a narrow channel.

The drive runs north-east from the house, crossing the lake by means of a bridge to the north-south Toft Road. The drive is flanked by evenly spaced trees on either side forming an avenue. To the south of the drive are three more rows of evenly spaced trees which break for the lake. To the south is a further two rows on a slightly differing alignment and only located on the eastern side of lake. Evenly spaced trees also flank the course of the former road to Lower Farm at the northern side of the park.

<9> Ordnance Survey, 1881-2, Ordnance Survey County Series (Epoch 1) 6 inch to 1 mile - Cheshire, SJ77NW (1881-1882) & SJ77NE (1881) (Maps and Plans). SCH2474.

The tithe map depict the hall and associated buildings to the north-west, to the north-west of these buildings is a walled garden. The plot surrounding the three sides of the hall appears to be defined by a sinuous earthwork, possibly a ha-ha. A number of sinuous paths are depicted in the woodland to the immediate west of the hall.

The area of the park is clearly shaded, though it is clear that surrounding fields have been enlarged and trees from former field boundaries retained, or further scattered trees planted.

To the east is of the hall is the lake, which has a cluster of four islands at its southern end. A further island lies further north. At the northern end is further island.

The drive runs north-east from the house, crossing the lake by means of a bridge to the north-south Toft Road. The drive is flanked by evenly spaced trees on either side forming an avenue. To the south of the drive are three more rows of evenly spaced trees which break for the lake. To the south is a further two rows on a slightly differing alignment, which diverge towards the late. The two rows continue on the western side of the lake.

The parkland continues to the east of Toft Road. Scattered trees and tree lines are retained from former field boundaries. The Church of St John the Evangelist has been built in this area, seemingly aligned on two of the avenues.

<10> Ordnance Survey, 1896-98, Ordnance Survey First Revision County Series (Epoch 2) 6 inch to 1 mile - Cheshire, SJ77NW (1899) & SJ77NE (1899) (Maps and Plans). SCH2472.

The area to the east of Toft Road is no longer shaded as parkland. However, the shaded area extends much further to the south, west and south-west, as far as Ash Wood, Victoria Wood, Mossnook Wood, and Sidder Plantation. A footbridge connects the northern island of the lake to the western bank, a building is also depicted, and to the south is a boat house.

<11> The GeoInformation Group, 2005, 1940s RAF Aerial Photographs from Operation Review, 106G UK 645 (11/08/45), CPE UK 2499 (12/03/48), or 106G UK 1280 (24/03/46) (Aerial Photograph). SCH4608.

Part of the parkland, located either side of the drive is in use as a POW camp (see CHER 15859).

<12> Huntings Surveys Ltd, 1971-1973, 1971-1973 County Survey, HSL UK 73 61, Run 34, no. 2581, 16/05/1973 (Aerial Photograph). SCH4881.

Much of the former parkland appears to be now under cultivation. The northern part of the area of the former POW camp has been planted with trees. The area of the surviving parkland appears reduced to the area shown in detail on the 1848 tithe map (see 8).

<13> Various, Various, Oral communication to the HER, Edwards R, 16/06/2023 (Oral Communication). SCH2330.

The avenues of trees suggest that, prior to Webb's redesign in c.1809-10, the design of the park was more formal, in the style of the French and Italian inspired parks and gardens of the early eighteenth century.