Monument record 1097 - Bradwall Hall

<1> Ormerod, G., 1882, The History of the County Palatine and City of Chester, Vol.III p.110 (Book). SCH1389.

"The seat of the Bradwalls is supposed to have been on the western side of the township, within a moated parallelogram, yet retaining the name of the Hallfield. In front of this was the site of a large pool which has been recently restored to its original purposes, a deep valley, watered by a small brook, and a rising ground, which is called the Hollins-wood in deeds of early date. The situation was fortunate in combining with this variety of surface a view to the westward, which notwithstanding the general flatness of the surrounding district, extended to the remotest part of the county."

<2> Dodgson J McN, 1970-2, 1981, The Place-Names of Cheshire, Vol .II p.267 (Book). SCH3228.

The earliest documentary reference to Bradwall Hall dates from 1724.

<3> Ordnance Survey, 1870-1982, Ordnance Survey Archaeological Record Card, 1981 SJ76SE8 (Index). SCH2487.

<4> White, F, 1860, Whites History, Directory & Gazetteer of Cheshire, p.533 White F & Co 1860 (Book). SCH1452.

<5> de Figueiredo P & Treuherz J, 1988, Cheshire Country Houses, p.219 (Book). SCH785.

“Bradwall Hall was the ancient brick gabled house of the Bradwall and Venebles Families. In 1802 the seatae was purchased by Dr John Latham.....who rebuilt the Hall in a plain late Georgian Style..."

<6> Various, Various, Oral communication to the HER, Wooler, F 03/12/2014 (Oral Communication). SCH2330.

The field names recorded on the township's tithe award, and the pool depicted, correlate well with Ormerod's (see 1) description of the site of the hall. This would seem to indicate that the earlier hall and the nineteenth century hall do not share the same site.

<7> See map for surveyor, c.1837-51, Cheshire Tithe Maps and Awards, EDT 61/2 c.1840 (Maps and Plans). SCH3266.

To the immediate south west of a pool called Hollins Pool is a field called Hall Field. At the south eastern end of the pool on its northern side is a small square field called Hall Bank.

<8> JA Story & Partners, 1985, 1985 Story & Partners Survey, Run 27, Frame 078, 31/05/1985 (Aerial Photograph). SCH2993.

The 1985 aerial photographs show some clear crop-marks of the former field boundaries to Hall and Brook fields and the north-western end of the pool.

<9> Royal Air Force, 1944-1947, 1940s RAF Aerial Photographs from Operation Review (Aerial Photograph). SCH8041.

Hall Bank Field is defined by a wide square earthwork. The earthwork looks like a moat.

<9> The GeoInformation Group, 2005, 1940s RAF Aerial Photographs from Operation Review (Aerial Photograph). SCH4608.

Hall Bank Field is defined by a wide square earthwork. The earthwork looks like a moat.

<10> Various, Various, Oral communication to the HER, Edwards, R 04/12/2014 (Oral Communication). SCH2330.

The large water body seems to be the large pool mentioned by Ormerod. It’s also clearly depicted on Greenwood’s 1819 and Bryant’s 1831 maps of Cheshire (see 11 & 12). The 1985 aerial photographs (see 8) show some clear crop-marks of the former field boundaries to Hall and Brook fields and the north-western end of the pool, but nothing to suggest a the pool is part of moat, and no other features to suggest a moat, in Hall Field. Adjoining the pool on the north eastern side is Hall Bank field , which looks very moat like on the 1945-7 aerial photographs (see 9). At about c.55m square it’s at the lower end of the size scale for a Cheshire moat.

<11> Greenwood, C. & Greenwood J., 1819, Map of the County Palatine of Chester (Maps and Plans). SCH2115.

<12> Bryant, A., 1831, Map of the County Palatine of Chester (Maps and Plans). SCH2114.

<13> Earwaker J P, 1890, History of the Ancient Parish of Sandbach, p.134-7 (Book). SCH1431.

The inventory of Phillippe Oldfield’s possessions in 1616 mentioned the following rooms/buildings at Bradwall Hall: a brew house, buttery, dairy house, parlour, hall, kitchen, storehouse, study, and two chambers.