Building record 347/1 - Combermere House

A timber framed mansion was constructed out of the south or west range of the cloister of Combermere Abbey. An inscription found in 1795 records the construction. 'Master Richard Cotton and his sons three. Both for their pleasure and commoditie. This buidling did edifie. In fifteen hundred and sixty three' (1). A painting of the early C18 (2) shows south-west front with stone ground storey with triple gabled timber framed upper storey. Added to either end is a projecting timber framed gable. The Buck engraving of 1727 (3) shows the present north-east or entrance front. This is timber framed, triple gabled, but carried on an arcade of posts. A projection to the left shows evidence of the cloister arcade. A large lantern is visible on the roof. The house was rendered and altered largely between c.1814-1820 but much of the original fabric seems to survive,particularly the roof structure and the now unoccupied north-west wing (1). The interior has the Great Hall (now the library) at first floor reusing the Monastic Refectory or Abbot's Great Hall. Good Renaissance Jacobean screen and reset panelling and overmantel. Interior of north-west wing shows original timber framing with ogee and chevron struts and a good stone fireplace with rosette decoration (1). Underneath the floor of the Wellington Room during construction work, three late C18 Buckley press- moulded slipware dishes were found (6). The early C18 painting which hangs in the house shows a formal garden to the front and rear of the house and a collection of timber framed farm buildings close to the house (2).

<1> Department of the Environment, 1971-2005, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Report). SCH1934.

<2> Harris J, 1979, The Artist and the Country House: A History of Country House and Garden View Painting in Britain, 1540-1870, /132 (Book). SCH3049.

<3> Ormerod, G., 1882, The History of the County Palatine and City of Chester, 3/405-7 1882 (Book). SCH1389.

<4> Pevsner N & Hubbard E, 1971, The Buildings of England: Cheshire, /181 (Book). SCH3078.

<5> Ordnance Survey, 1870-1982, Ordnance Survey Archaeological Record Card, 1976 SJ54SE2 (Index). SCH2487.

<6> County Historic Environment Record, 1973-1985, Cheshire Archaeological Bulletin, 4/39 Robinson D J 1976 (Journal/Periodical). SCH565.

<7> Howard RE, Laxton RR & Litton CD, 2003, Tree-Ring Analysis of Oak Timbers from Combermere Abbey, Whitchurch, Cheshire, R2662 (Report). SCH6965.