Building record 830/1/0 - Vale Royal House

<1> McNeil R & Turner RC, 1988, An Architectural and Topographical Study of Vale Royal Abbey (Article in Journal). SCH250.

Vale Royal Abbey and lands were bought for 450 pounds by Thomas Holcroft at the Dissolution. He pulled down the church and most of the cloisteral buildings as ordered, and converted the west and south range of the cloister and some associated buildings into his manor house. This involved the creation of a great hall complex at first floor in the west range entered by a porch and external flight of stairs. The kitchen was retained and the refectory adopted and established. The ranges coming forward to the west may have been new work of this date. The building has a very complex later history

<2> Glasgow Art Gallery, 1962, Stained and Painted Heraldic Glass (Monograph). SCH2990.

The house was embellished with armorial glass, now in the Burrell Collection.

<3> 1615, Articles re Sale of Vale Royal, DBC 3/6 (Book). SCH377.

In 1616, the house and estate was sold to Lady Mary Cholmondeley for 9,000 pounds.

<4> de Figueiredo P & Treuherz J, 1987, The Country Houses of Cheshire (Book). SCH3111.

<5> Lancaster University Archaeological Unit, 1995, Vale Royal Great House, Cheshire: Interim Report., R2123 (Client Report). SCH4088.

A building survey of Vale Royal House was undertaken in 1995, in advance of repair and conversion works. The aim of the survey was to record the fabric and structure of the building to augment the results of previous surveys and provide a basis for analysis and interpretation of the structural sequence. However, some areas of the building were inaccessible at the time of the survey in particular the Douglas Wing and West Range roof.

It appears likely that Thomas Holcroft did not completely demolish the Cistercian Abbey (758/1/0) but incorporated some of the monastic fabric into the construction of his house in the 16th century. Examination of the ground plan of the current building indicates that the position of the West and South ranges correspond exactly to the presumed position of the West and South claustral ranges as indicated by the plan of the church revealed by the excavations of Pendleton (1911) and Tompson (1958). This follows a general model for the dissolution of monastic houses, that those parts of the complex deemed essential for religion and communal life (churches, dormitories, chapter houses) were demolished as a priority in order to render the sites unusable for worship and also explaining why the West and South Ranges were potentially re-modelled in this case.

In the West Range, the east wall may contain masonry and window apertures of an enclosed cloister walk. The southern roof trusses of the armoury and saloon suggest that this range may have been half-timbered even before the Dissolution. The tie-beams of the trusses in the saloon have been replaced with arch braces possibly indicating conversion from monastery into house. Also, there are indications of 16th century windows on the west front of the saloon and a fireplace at the dais end of the hall. The earliest roof truss is the southern-most in the armoury which my relate to a wind-braced roof of the lay brothers' dormitory, possibly in the late monastic period this roof was rebuilt with simple tie-beam trusses.

In the South Range, monastic stonework may survive on the ground floor; part of a timber-framed first floor also remains. The roof trusses may originate in the monastic period, although substantially altered. They were highly decorated so presumably intended to be seen from the first floor. A central corridor was created on the ground floor and on the first floor and in the attic, a series of apartments were created and potentially used as guest suites.

An examination of the roof trusses demonstrates that the West Range predates the kitchen, which in turn predates the South Range. Monastic fabric may also survive in the Blore Wing and cellar. However, it is important to note that there is little firm evidence for dating in this model, only two timbers of the South Range have been dendrochronologically dated to the late 15th century.

In the 18th century sash windows were insertedinto the east and west walls of the West Range. Two of these remains although are blocked internally. Large fireplaces and chimney breasts were inserted into the east wall. The north-west and south-west wings were rebuilt and pilasters added to the west front creating the present symmetrical façade.

Substantial alterations were made to all areas of the building in the 19th century. The North-West Wing was internally modified with the main hall being converted into a Gothic saloon. The chintz rooms and Blore Wing were built and the whole of the South Range re-faced in brick, followed by the construction of the Douglas Wing. However, 20th century interventions are minimal and restricted to the blocking of fireplaces and doorways, and the insertion of partition walls.

<6> Higham N J, 1984-9, Professor Nick Higham's Aerial Photographs, 1989/2/30-32 & 1989/3/37 (Aerial Photograph). SCH7659.

<7> Lancaster University Archaeological Unit, 1998, Vale Royal Great House, Cheshire: Fabric Survey Report, R2232 (Client Report). SCH4011.

A further interim archaeological survey was undertaken, between March and April 1995, of Vale Royal House, in advance of repair and conversion works. The intention of the survey was to record the fabric and structure of the building in order to augment previous surveys and to provide a basis for interpretation of the structural sequence. Recording included taking scaled photographs of interiors and an instrument survey of the building's exterior to allow rectification of photographs. The survey has also provided an opportunity to examine the fabric of the building, although some areas of the building were inaccessible at time of survey, including the Douglas Wing and the West Range Roof.

Following the survey, a watching brief occurred between September and December 1995, as there were indications that substantial fabric from the Cistercian Abbey and the sixteenth century house might have been retained in sity within the post medieval building, built after the abbey's dissolution in 1539. These areas were principally located in the west and south ranges. However, the results of this watching brief and survey were inconclusive and did not provide unequivocable evidence for the retention of the monastic buildings within the later building.

<8> Lancaster University Archaeological Unit, 1998, Vale Royal Scheduled Area, Cheshire: Interim Evaluation and Excavation Report, R2239 (Client Report). SCH4005.

An archaeological evaluation was undertaken in 1998 in the grounds of Vale Royal House as part of a wider programme of fieldwork necessitated by the refurbishment of Vale Royal House and the landscaping of the grounds for a golf course. The evaluation comprised two small excavations, seventeen evaluation trenches excavated to a maximum depth of 300mm, and a watching brief. Foundations relating to the North-West Wing of Vale Royal House were identified and may represent an early build of the house. (See also source 9, for full report, SCH3952, R2299)

<9> Lancaster University Archaeological Unit, 1998, Vale Royal Scheduled Area, Cheshire: Archaeological Evaluation and Excavation Report, R2299 (Client Report). SCH3952.