Monument record 11/1/1 - Poole Hall

<1> Sulley, P, 1889, The Hundred of Wirral, p.160-161 (Book). SCH3174.

By the beginning of the 13th century ownership of the manor had passed to the Pulle family. In 1220 the estate passed to William le Hare who assumed the local name and whose family held the hall for six hundred years.

Poole Hall was built or rebuilt by Sir Thomas Poole, Seneschal of Birkenhead, around 1540. It was extended in 1574, as indicated by a date stone which stood over the chimney piece of the great hall. The southern and eastern fronts were built of ‘soft grey stone’. The remainder of the building was timber framed with brick infill. The west front had been entirely rebuilt and the ‘whole’ reroofed. The south front was light by large bay windows (largely bricked up to avoid window tax) and had an octagonal turret at each end. The east front presents one of these turrets and a large projecting bay. The porch is heavy and crenulated, with a flight of steps to a heavy iron door. The hall was large and like the principal rooms, panelled with oak. In the top storey was a private chapel. Adjoining the chapel was a small windowless room called ‘purgatory’ and one of the other rooms has a false floor concealing a hiding place. A large moat formerly encircled the house. Includes a photograph of the hall.

<2> Mortimer W, 1847, The History of the Hundred of Wirral, p.226-228 (Book). SCH3160.

During the Civil War Pool Hall was taken and pillaged by Parliamentary forces under Sir William Moreton. In 1645, its owner, James Poole died of wounds received at the siege of Chester. Includes an illustration of the hall

<3> Ordnance Survey, 1870-1982, Ordnance Survey Archaeological Record Card, White JH 14/08/1964 SJ37NE1 (Index). SCH2487.

The site is now occupied by a modern factory

<4> Historic Society of Lancashire and Cheshire, 1849 onwards, Transactions of the Historic Society of Lancashire and Cheshire, Poole M E 1900 vol.16 p.172-4 (Journal/Periodical). SCH3800.

Lead pipe-head with a basso-relievo head of Elizabeth I. The clock and sundial dated 1723 are by John Seddon of Frodsham.

<5> Tait A C, 1878-1964, Andrew Carlyle Tait Archive, c.1937 (Paper Archive). SCH2094.

A manor house had stood at Poole since 1220. The old Hall survived until 1937. It comprised a timber framed building to the north, which had been partially rebuilt after the storming of the house in 1664, and considerable sixteenth century additions to the south and west in the local sandstone. The west front was flanked by turrets and the south front had a small terrace. The front door was located in a projecting wing dating from the seventeenth century.

The Kitchen contained a complete set of equipment for making Cheshire Cheese and the reputedly contained a ducking stool. During demolition a fireplace with moulded string courses (hacked flat to allow it to be plastered over) and with a pointed relieving arch in brick above, was revealed in a room adjoining the Great Hall. The latter had been largely reconstructed. In the upper storey of the north-east corner there was a god example of fifteenth century timber framing. The cellar contained a brick culvert and two recesses with pointed arches. Behind the latter was a hollow space.

The northern and western sides of the building were timber framed with diagonal patterning in the square panels and dating from the first half of the sixteenth century. The timber framing was infilled with brickwork and the kitchen enlarged by a two gabled brick wing in the late seventeenth, early eighteenth century. Between the two gables was a square lead waterspout with a large boxed head with a cherub mask. The original timber porch survived as a scullery. The southern and eastern fronts were in stone. A date stone, dated 1570 with the initials of one of the Pooles and his wife, lay in a rockery nearby and may relate to the main front of the later porch on the eastern side. The porch had a mouded arch with fluted renaissance ornament. The porch was originally open but had been fitted with a later door set in brick. The clock tower contained a clock of early eighteenth century date, but this was believed to be a replacement. The interior of the building was altered in the eighteenth century and the wood panelling removed in the early nineteenth century (reputedly sold to a castle in Ireland). Plaster ceilings dating from the sixteenth century survived. Includes list of photographs.

The hall was demolished in 1937 for Bowater's Mersey Paper Mills Ltd

<6> de Figueiredo P & Treuherz J, 1988, Cheshire Country Houses, p.262-3 (Book). SCH785.

"A picturesque early 16th century manor house overlooking the Mersey, built for Thomas Poole, Seneschal of Birkenhead Priory, who died in 1547, and later enlarged. The earlier part consisted of a jumble of Stone and timber framed gables with a two storey castellated porch leading to the Great Hall. On the first floor was a panelled room with carved portrait heads in low relief, know designs and armorials and knot designs including those od Thomas Poole and his wife Mary Talbot. The Style of the panelling was similar to that still existing at Smithills Hall, Lancashire, of the 1530s. The fireplace in the Great Hall was dated 1574; the stone east front was probably added at the same time in a more regular style. It had striking octagonal turrets with three storeys of windows and pointed roofs. In the 1930s the Hall was bought by Bowater's who demolished it to expand their paper works."

<7> Ormerod, G., 1882, The History of the County Palatine and City of Chester, Ormerod G 1882 vol.2 p.422 (Book). SCH1389.

"Poole Hall is one of the most venerable specimens of domestic architecture which the county can boast. The North and East fronts are composed of soft stone, now grey with lichens. The rest of the building is formed of timber and plaister, rising in gables in the general style of Cheshire Halls. The East front is tolerably regular, lighted with large bay windows and has at each end a tall octagonal turret…."

<8> White Francis, 1860, History, Gazetteer and Directory of Cheshire (Book). SCH1410.

The moat is not shown on the Tithe Map for the township

<9> See map for surveyor, c.1837-51, Cheshire Tithe Maps and Awards, EDT 426/3 date unknown (Maps and Plans). SCH3266.

There are a number of outbuildings to the north and north east of the hall

<10> Ordnance Survey, 1871-1882, Ordnance Survey County Series (Epoch 1) 25 inch to 1 mile - Cheshire (Maps and Plans). SCH2462.

There are a number of outbuildings to the north and north east of the hall

<11> Various, Various, Oral communication to the HER, Edwards R 15/05/2012 (Oral Communication). SCH2330.

The clock and sundial dated 1723 now at the Ellesmere Port Boat Museum.

<12> Trinity Mirror, Various, Ellesmere Port Pioneer, 12/02/1976 (Newspaper-Magazine). SCH6786.

Newspaper article about the recently restored clock from Poole Hall by employees of Bowater's Paper works. Clock is described as hanging in the foyer of the Bowater's Merseyside Works

<13> Sephton, James H, 2011, Poole Hall the Seat of the Poole Family of Netherpoole, Wirral, p.7 (Unpublished Document). SCH8656.

Bowater`s United Kingdom Pulp and Paper Mills purchased the site c 1928. A small wing in the hall was retained by the farmer.

Many of Bowater`s early staff used the mansion as offices. To provide for an extension of the pulp storage bays, Poole Hall was demolished in 1937. Later the Ground Wood Mill was erected across the former land entrance to the mansion.

Some of the sandstone from the demolition of the mansion went to the Bowater Mill Manager`s house “Broad mead,” at Parkgate Road, Neston.

Nothing remains to identify the site of the former Poole Hall.

<14> Young H E, 1909, The Hundred of Wirral, p.60-66 (Book). SCH3177.

' a very fine specimen of Tudor architecture and one of the most important ancient buildings in Cheshire; for although it has been long used as a farm-house, it has had the good fortune to be occupied by tenants who have, with a few exceptions, kept it well'