Monument record 564/2 - Whittle Hall

Whittle Hall. Probably the manor house of Great Sankey. The manor of Great sankey is mentioned in several Boteler settlements & inquisitions & on the sale of their estates c.1585, passed to the Bolds of Bold. In 1610 it was granted to Sir Thomas Tyldesley, within 15 years it passed to Sir Thomas Ireland & has since descended with other estates to Lord Lilford. Manor courts were held yearly until 1888. A branch of the Rixton family settled here. A family named Whethull or Whittle appear in 14th century (1).

Hall supposed to have been the seat of the family of Sankey. Subsequently occupied by the Rixtons of Sankey, who were seated here in 16th century (2).

17th century with alterations on site of earlier house. 2 storey brown brick wing of former hall, subsequently part of later farmhouse. Formally listed at grade III. Full architectural description (3).

Whittle hall was the property of the Legh family in the mid 15th century but the origin of their interest has not been established. In 1466 Richard Whitill held in chief by knights service from Sir Peter Legh, the manor of Whitill with 'rooms, kitchen, stable, barn, byre similarly with orchards and three gardens with a hundred acres of land lying in 14 fields enclosed together with hedges and ditches' (Legh Survey 1466. fol 4.9). The absence of a specific reference to a palisaded ditch as noted on other legh properties perhaps suggest Whittle was not moated. Subsequently the place was granted to Sir Thomas Tyldesley from whom it passed to the Irelands of Bewsey and their successors. The hall is said to be of 17th century date on the site of an earlier structure. There is a farm at the site, in the location indicated on the tithe plan and it has been suggested that the east wing is the oldest part of the building though no date was given. South and west of this shallow grass filled depressions may represent evidence for a moat (5).

Oxford Archaeology North, 2015, Whittle Hall Farm, Littledale Road, Great Sankey, Warrington. Heritage Appraisal. (Client Report). SCH7842.

<1> Farrer W & Brownbill J, 1906-14, The Victoria County History of the County of Lancaster, 3/409 1907 (Book). SCH3636.

<2> Baines, Edward, 1868-91, The History of The County Palatine and Duchy of Lancaster, Baines E 1836 3/730 (Book). SCH1442.

<3> Department for the Environment, Various, Provisional List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, /5/5/5 1962 (Report). SCH2744.

<4> Grealey S, 1976, The Archaeology of Warrington's Past, /94 no.3 (Book). SCH3046.

<5> Lewis J, 2000, The Medieval Earthworks of the Hundred of West Derby, /227 (Monograph). SCH3778.