Monument record 610/1 - Culcheth Hall

Medieval Manor House of Culcheth Hall. In 1212 the Manor of Culcheth was in the Barony of Warrington and was held by Hugh, son of Gilbert, who held the manor by Knight's Service of William ie Boteler, as four ploughlands. When Gilbert of Culcheth was killed in 1246, the manor was divided between his four daughters and their husbands and the four sons of Hugh de Hindley, into the Manors of Culcheth, Peasefurlong, Risley and Holcroft. Richard de Hindley took the name of Culcheth and members of the Culcheth family continued to reside in Culcheth and Culcheth Hall until 1747, when Thomas Culcheth, the last of the male line, died childless. The manor then passed to his cousin - Thomas Stanley - and in 1794 it passed to John Trafford of Trafford (1).

Estates later sold to the Warrington family (2).

Hall demolished. Remains of outbuildings and isolated walling and an earthwork which appears to have formed a perimeter to an ornamental garden (3).

The central position of Culcheth suggests that this was the primary site in the township and that it may be the original holding of the Culcheth family, out of which other estates were carved following the death of Gilbert de Culcheth in c.1246. From this time onwards if not before the estate was considered as one quarter of Culcheth. The hall has been demolished and only outbuildings with 17th century brickwork and isolated walling were standing in 1959. An earthwork was considered to have formed the perimeter of the ornamental garden. Aerial photos show a large pond on the south side of a barn. The tithe plan provides no evidence for the position or form of a moat. (5)

<1> Farrer W & Brownbill J, 1906-14, The Victoria County History of the County of Lancaster, 4/156 1911 (Book). SCH3636.

<2> Baines, Edward, 1868-91, The History of The County Palatine and Duchy of Lancaster, Baines E 1836 3/632 (Book). SCH1442.

<3> Ordnance Survey, 1870-1982, Ordnance Survey Archaeological Record Card, SJ69NE5/1959 (Index). SCH2487.

<4> Lymm & District Local History Society, Various, Lymm & District Local History Society - Newsletter, Hughes E M 1978 1/Part III/1-7 (Newsletter). SCH2040.

<5> Lewis J, 2000, The Medieval Earthworks of the Hundred of West Derby, /210 (Monograph). SCH3778.

<6> Freke D, 1984, Tanners farm Excavation (Unpublished Document). SCH3784.