Building record 90/2 - Daresbury Hall, Eighteenth Century House

<1> Ormerod, G., 1882, The History of the County Palatine and City of Chester, Vol. 1 p.733 & 735 (Book). SCH1389.

The first documentary reference to Daresbury hall dates from 1541. (See also source 2)

<2> Dodgson J McN, 1970-2, 1981, The Place-Names of Cheshire, Vol 2 p.148 (Book). SCH3228.

An inquisition post mortem dating from 1588/9 which makes reference to John Danyell senior and John Danyell junior as being in possession of the manor of Derresbury and the hall of Derresbury during the 33rd year of Henry VIII’s reign, which is 1541-2. '33 Hen. VIII., John Danyell sen. avus Johis Danyell jun., seized of manor of Derresbury voc' the hall of Derresbury...'.

Daresbury Hall is the residence of Mr. Heron and was buily c.1760. It is '..a handsome and lofty pile of brick, environed with respectable timber, and occupying an elevation which commands an almost boundless prospect...'.

<3> English Heritage, 2005, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, 1330337 (Digital Archive). SCH4666.

Grade II* listed mansion, now institution. 1759. Brown brick with slate roof, 3 storeys, 7 bays with good 7 bay return north. Stone moulded plinth and floor bands, rusticated giant pilasters flank the 3 central bays and there are matching stone quoins of constant width. Stone door case with moulded architrave, pulvinated frieze, and consoles below pediment. Recessed sash windows with glazing bars plain architraves and keys to heads. Stone eaves cornice surmounted by central pediment and solid parapet with moulded coping. Hipped roof and chimneys with stone caps. Interior 2 staircase with turned balusters one with cut and shaped bracketed string. Doors with six fielded panels, some good mantels.

<4> Crane, E, 1984, The Archaeology of Beekeeping (Book). SCH3029.

Within the grounds are a set of four eighteenth century bee boles set into a garden wall and framed by a gothic arch with bees in the spandrels.

<5> International Bee Research Association, Various, International Bee Research Association Bee Boles Register, 0016 (Digital Archive). SCH1487.

Alcove 120 inches high; whole structure projects from wall; 1 wooden shelf; known to have been used for bees. Faces south, in garden; wall dated 1760-1775; good condition when reported.

<6> Peter de Figueiredo (Independent Consultant), 2012, Daresbury Hall, Daresbury, Cheshire: PPS5 Conservation Statement, R4138 (Client Report). SCH8423.

Conservation statement prepared in 2012 for Daresbury Hall. From 1955 to the late 1990s the house was in institutional use, since this it has been vacant and has been identified as a building at risk by Historic England. In 2009 planning permission and listed building consent were granted for partial demolition, restoration and conversion of the hall and outbuildings. This statement, comprising an historic assessment of the building and site, their significance and the impact of the development proposals, was produced in support of an application for renewal of the planning consents.

Daresbury Hall dates from 1759-60 and was built for George Heron who purchased the manor of Daresbury from John Daniell in 1755.1 It remained in the Heron family until 1850 when it became the property of Samuel Beckett Chadwick. By 1892 Sir Gilbert Greenall of nearby Walton Hall had become the owner. It was tenanted in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The Tithe apportionment for 1844 shows the owner and occupier of Daresbury Hall as Samuel Beckett Chadwick. The map shows the Hall, the stable block and barns, and the grounds laid out with an ornamental pond, orchards, gardens, parkland and plantations. East of the Hall were two hothouses and dog kennels.

In 2012, the exterior of the hall is described a handsome three-storey Georgian country house. However, the interior is considered 'very dilapidated'. The ground floor has been substantially altered and retains little historic fabric. Water ingress on the first floor has damaged much plasterwork and dry rot affects extensive areas of timberwork. Most of the original internal doors have been replaced for fire safety during the period of institutional occupation. The mahogany staircase is Edwardian in date and not in the original stairway location. Some eighteenth century chimney pieces survive at first floor.

<7> de Figueiredo P & Treuherz J, 1988, Cheshire Country Houses, p.227 (Book). SCH785.

A fine mid-Georgian house of brick built for George Heron in 1759 probably by the same architect as Hefferston Grange. It has three storeys and seven bays, the central three projecting below a pediment. At the centre is a good pedimented doorcase on scroll consoles. A vertical emphasis is given by the close spacing of the central part, the flat stone surrounds to the windows, and above all by the four broad bands of stone quoins.