Building record 559/1/1 - Bradlegh Old Hall

Bradlegh Old Hall was originally a 15th century manor house. The present structure contains fragments of earlier work, including split portions of a beam dated 1597 (1). Part of the ancient manor house, including the Knights' chamber, was of an older date than 1465 (2). Present structure is late 16th century (with possible earlier features) but cased in brick in late 18th century (3). Full architectural description refs (3) and (4). A very full description of the house and its environs in 1465 is transcribed in (5). See 559/1/2 for description of moat.

Probably the Bradley estate was created before the Butler family came to Bewsey in the late 13th century. It may have been held by the Haydock family since the early 14th century.. In 1387 Gilbert de Haydock received a licence for an oratory at Bradley. Bradley passed to the Legh family through marriage c.1414. In 1466 Bradley was first named in a survey of estates of Sir Peter Legh III. At this time there was a fine new hall, three new rooms, a fine parlour, new kitchen, bakehouse and brewhouse together with a new stone tower above the well defended gate, and a fine chapel all built by Sir Peter legh. In addtion there was an old chamber called the knights chamber. All were surrounded by a palisaded ditch with a drawbridge. North of the enclosure were three big barns, a big ox house and horse stable, a small house for the bailiff and a dovecote. A new malt kiln stood at the east of a place called Parogardyne. South of the garden was an orchard enclosed with hedges and ditches, and there was another garden next to the old malt kiln. The survey does not show that the moat predates Sir Peter legh's new works. The moat could have been the product of his fathers activities or even the Haydocks. It is not clear whether the new structures were under one roof or separate buildings (6).

<1> Lancashire & Cheshire Antiquarian Society, 1883 -, Transactions of the Lancashire & Cheshire Antiquarian Society, 51/123 Hodgkinson A 1936 (Journal/Periodical). SCH3293.

<2> Farrer W & Brownbill J, 1906-14, The Victoria County History of the County of Lancaster, 3/327-8 1967 (Book). SCH3636.

<3> Department of the Environment, 1971-2005, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, /4/1/5 (Report). SCH1934.

<4> Department for the Environment, Various, Provisional List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, /2/1/8 1962 (Report). SCH2744.

<5> Beamont W, 1873, A History of Warrington, 87/ (Monograph). SCH95.

<6> Lewis J, 2000, The Medieval Earthworks of the Hundred of West Derby, /207 (Monograph). SCH3778.