Building record 1758/1 - Broxton Lower Hall

<1> English Heritage, 2005, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, 404751 (Digital Archive). SCH4666.

Hotel, formerly Broxton Lower Hall, 1671 restored and altered 1886. Oak frame with plaster panels on sandstone plinth. Alterations and extensions in brick to rear. Grey slate roofs with bargeboards and finials and nineteenth century shaped brick chimneys of type common to Carden Estate buildings, four gables to almost symmetrical front of two and a half storeys and five windows. The wing gables are lower than the central pair. Small frame (with baluster posts on upper storeys of central portion and chevrons on wings). Recessed central porch has original oak mullioned and transomed window at rear and a twentieth century door in left side. A 10-light mullioned and transomed window to each side. The second storey has a three-light mullioned window over porch, with a ten-light window to each side. Each wing has a twelve-light mullioned and transomed window to the lower storey and slightly differing windows to upper storey. A two-light mullioned window in each attic gable. Leaded glazing to upper storey. Victorian carved dates IDF 1671 left and 1886 PLC right. Much of the framing is renewed.

<2> Mel Morris Conservation, 2013, Broxton Old Hall Building Appraisal, R3494 (Client Report). SCH7187.

Broxton Lower Hall was subject to a historic building appraisal in 2013, comprising an analysis of the building's development, recording of the recently exposed internal walls, compiling a detailed record of fixtures and fittings and measured annotated floor plans. Additionally rectified photographs of the interior of the building were produced and, by positioning and scaling these, a cross-section through the structure from ground level to roof level has been produced, helping to interpret the development of the buidling. From the rectified photographs sectional drawings have also been produced. A range of additional supporting photographs of the interior were taken.

The original house was built in the 16th century and was owned by the Massie family. A large number of alterations to the house were carried out in the mid 17th century. In 1699 it was sold by Hugh Massie to John Dod. It then passes to his son John Harboro Dod and then, on his death, to his sister Anna Christina the wife of William Farrell. In 1775 it was sold to Philip Egerton Esq. who acquired it as part of a number of estates he bought in Broxton and the neighbouring villages. He leased the building out as a dwelling until 1827 when it was converted to a coaching inn, the 'Egerton Arms Inn'. A phase of repairs were made to the building from 1864 and were probably undertaken by Philip Henry Brian Grey Egerton. These changes were documented briefly in estate papers dating to the latter years of its life as an inn. When a new inn was built with the same name by the Oulton Estate, Broxton Lower Hall reverted back to a house and was used in conjunction with the adjoining stable complex as a stud farm before being bought by Lord Arthur Hugh Grosvenor, the Duke of Westminster's second son, who lived there from circa 1905 to 1929. Whilst there, he extended and altered the building and a large part of its external appearance dates to this 'Arts and Crafts' phase of remodelling. Ordnance Survey historical mapping reveals that the large, south-western wing of the hall was added between 1900 and 1911, when a number of other alterations occurred including the addition of bays to the front elevation, external chimney stacks and the service wing to the south. In the mid 20th century it was converted to a hotel until 2012 when purchased by its current owner.

There are two dates with initials carved on the front of the building in the central bays of the hall, 'IDF 1671' on the left and '1886 PEG' on the right. The presence of the dates indicates that these represented major phases of re-modelling. The 1671 date and initials do not correlate to any identifiable family member of this date, as the house was owned by the Massie family, so perhaps this represents a later conjectural addition. The 1886 date however probably relates to a phase of repair undertaken by Philip Henry Brian Grey Egerton, 12th Baronet from 1864 during its use as a coaching inn.

The hall was constructed with three distinct elements - a central hall and two cross wings. It underwent five significant phases of growth over 450 years.

Phase 1, 16th century: original East Wing. There is evidence for a former building beneath the current east wing of the house. It appears to have been comprised a hall or two rooms at ground floor level and a single space above. This building pre-dates the central hall and was a substantial building in its own right being relatively tall with the ground floor ceiling higher than the existing.

Phase 2, circa 1600-1610 - Central Hall (two storeys plus attics). The East Wing was probably adapted to become the service wing when the central hall was constructed in circa 1600. The hall is clearly built up against the earlier wing and the dateable evidence, including stylistic details, point to a date between circa 1600-1610. The central hall is of unusual design with a combination of three bays with open porch at ground level with two bays above The porch design is also unusual and has no local precedents, being an open porch set beneath the upper storey. The hall had a decorative ceiling with heavily modelled transverse beams and decorated joists. The fireplace was stone-built and located on the rear lateral wall; it was served by an off-set, brick-built lateral chimney stack. It is relatively small with a low lintel and is unlikely to have provided the dimensions for a cooking hearth, therefore it is likely that there was a separate kitchen range. The original location of the main staircase is difficult to ascertain as there are no physical remains; the current dog-let staircase was built circa 1910 and incorporates some fragments of an 18th century staircase. The west side of the Central Hall was originally an external wall being of close-studded construction with two diamond-section mullioned windows still in situ at ground and first floor level. Also in evidence was deliberate lime-washing of the oak and plaster panels, a finish used for external walls. It is possible that the bay to the west side of the porch served as a garderobe tower or a staircase. The space at first floor level is too large to have functioned as a single open space but there is little evidence as to how the space was divided. The only 17th century hearth at first floor level lies above the ground floor hearth on the south wall, although it is considered too small to have heated the whole space.

Phase 3, circa 1650-1671. There is a date of 1671 on the north front of the hall and this probably relates to a period of remodelling and restoration dating between 1650-71 undertaken by the Massie family. The principal alteration was the construction of the West Wing. This was a two bay structure incorporating two storeys plus a habitable attic storey, also a stone-lined cellar underneath its southern bay. The stylistic evidence of the construction of this wing indicates a mid 17th century date. Additionally, the Tithe map of 1836 and the later 1875 OS plan both show a large extended footprint/bay on the western wing, this may have accommodated a large chimney stack and may have provided the hall with an enclosed kitchen. A small two storey extension on the southern side of the building dating to the mid-late 17th century possible served as a parlour and first floor bedroom.

Phase 4, extensions and alterations of 1800-1827. Following the acquisition of the hall by Philip Egerton in 1775 a large three-storey extension and cellar was added to the south and east sides of the building. The hall was a tenanted farmhouse from 1775 until 1827 when it was converted into the Egerton Arms, so it is probable the addition of bedrooms relates to its use as an inn. Most of the shell of the structure (sash windows and timber architraves) from this phase still survive but remodelling inside has removed many of the internal features, including doors, chimneybreasts, fireplaces and plasterwork. The current brick built courtyard development of stables and barns appears to be largely 19th century in origin and were possibly purpose built for the new coaching inn.

Phase 5, extension of 1900-1910. Following the acquisition of the hall by Lord Arthur Hugh Grovesnor a large service wing was added to the south, incorporating a kitchen, scullery, pantry and laundry, access to the cellars and a service staircase. At the same time a large number of alterations were carried out to the main building, including the insertion of an early 18th century-style, oak staircase. Also significant alterations to the main elevations of the hall were undertaken at this time, including re-roofing of the 17th century west wing and the re-building of the southern gable, addition of projecting bay windows on the north-facing elevation, a squared bay to the west wing and the splayed bay to the east wing. All of chimney stacks visible above roof level incorporate a chevron design and were re-built in this phase.

Early documents mention a large number of further ancilliary buidlings - pigeonhouse/dovehouse, barns, stables and malthouse, however the location of these buildings is unknown. The hall does not appear to have stood within a park, however, to the east of the hall, lies a long section of walled enclosure. The origins of this walled garden are obscure but it may be 18th century in form or earlier. A section of walled garden is depicted on historic mapping. By 1875 the garden had been sub-divided and a long south-facing building (an orangery or potting sheds) is evident.