Building record 873/1/1 - Utkinton Hall

Utkinton Hall, Utkinton Lane. Formerly large manor house, now farmhouse. Medieval core, but majority of early 17th C for the Done family and for Sir John Crewe. The Done family were hereditary wardens of Delamere Forest, an office of great power & the house at its full extent must have been of some magnificance. The house formerly contained a chapel, consecrated in 1635 & an oval library. The twisted baluster staircase is now at Tarporley Rectory & some armorial glass is in the Burrell collection, Glasgow (1). The house was plundered of its plate and jewels by the Royalists in 1644 (2). The present building dates mainly to the 17th century and was partly refaced c1700 & again in the early 18thC. Ashlar red sandstone, partly English bond and Flemish bond orange brick facade with red sandstone dressings. Welsh slate roof & brick chimneys. The present plan is L-shaped with an additional line of gables & a parallel range along the E side. This was created from the early 17thC full courtyard plan by demolition in the later 18thC (1). The long range running at right angles to the road was probably the Great Hall block, preserving its original studded oak door. The L-shaped frontage facing the road was built c.1700 by Sir John Crewe in a rustic Queen Anne style, set upon an earlier basement with mullioned windows. The house was converted to a farmhouse in the mid 18thC (2). Interior: stone-paved hall has a central octagonal wooden column on a stone base running through both ground & first floors to support the roof. Wide fireplaces, one with a carved seat, Jacobean doors; & doors with two bolection moulded panels. Stopped bevelled beams. Staircase with shaped flat balusters on the close string. Post with moulded corbel (3). Full architectural description (1) and (3).

<1> Department of the Environment, 1971-2005, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, /8/35 (Report). SCH1934.

<2> Unknown, Notes (Oral Communication). SCH2280.

<3> Department for the Environment, Various, Provisional List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, /16/23 1965 (Report). SCH2744.