Monument record 331/1/1 - Ridley Hall (former Gatehouse to), Wrexham Road

Ridley Hall described as 'fine' in Leland's Itinerary of 1530. Only surviving portion is stone arched entrance passageway built into later brick farmbuilding. The south front has plinth, ovolo-moulded quoins to archway, hood mould over the arch and ovolo-moulded cornice. Cornice supports arms of the Egerton family, flanked by horns and scrolls. Ovolo-moulded beams in the archway (1). Pevsner suggests it is Elizabethan or even earlier (2). Sir William Stanley is known to have built a substantial house here in the late C15 (3). Leylands description reads 'This Ridley Hawle made of a poor hold place the fairest gentlemen's house of al Chestreshire by Sir William Stondeley, helper to King Henry VII and he was atteinted, and Ridle was given to Rafe Egerton' (4). An early C19 view of the gatehouse is in the City Record Office (5).

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

<2> Pevsner N & Hubbard E, 1971, The Buildings of England: Cheshire, 1319 (Book). SCH3078.

<3> Coward B, 1983, The Stanleys 1385-1672 Chetham Society (Oral Communication). SCH3243.

<4> Leyland J, 1538-43, Itineraries (Manuscript). SCH1492.

<5> Broster P, 1810, The Gatehouse at Ridley Hall, CR/63/2/133 (Book). SCH3125.