Description

WORSLEY WARDLEY HALL DRIVE
SD 70 SE
2/61 Wardley Hall
29/7/66
G.V. I

House. c.1500 but with considerable rebuilding in C19 and
C20. Timber-framed with graduated stone slate roof but with
rebuilding in brick with stone dressings. Quadrangular 2-
storey plan including gatehouse and an open hall which was
floored over in 1551. The south elevation consists of 5 bays
including gabled west and east ranges which project to
either side and a 2-storey bay window to the former hall
which is gabled and projects still further. All are of brick
with mullion and mullion and transom windows of 1895 or
1903. The central section is of timber framing on a stone
plinth. Tudor-arched cross-passage door with mullioned
overlight. 3-light double-transomed hall window to left, 4-
light window to right and restored 3, 2 and 3-light windows
to first floor. All have ovolo-moulded timber mullions many
of which are replacements or restorations. The massive hall
chimney stack projects to left, it is of narrow bricks and
may even date from when the hall was floored over. Much of
the west and east elevations date from the 1895 restoration
for which the architect was Douglas and Fordham. The north-
west corner was extended at that date. Projecting stone
stack on west. The gatehouse is dated "RHD 1625" but while
the form relates to the original much of the external fabric
is later. Various ridge and projecting brick chimney stacks
all of C19 date with decorative clustered stacks. The
segmental-arched entrance gives access to the courtyard
which is largely timber-framed and partly of early date. The
uprights are closely set and diagonally braced. Many of the
ovolo-moulded timber mullion windows are original, others
are not. The cross-passage door is on the opposite side of
the courtyard and a staircase projects into the space at the
south-west corner. Interior: a large proportion of the
timber-framed structure still exists in the south, west and
north ranges. The great hall has moulded principal posts
which support moulded beams and chamfered joists of the
inserted floor. C19 fireplace. In the room above the
original roof trusses can be seen having moulded arch-braces
which replaced tie-beams probably at the time when the floor
was inserted. Wind braces to purlins and a ceiling with
moulded timber members. 3 Tudor-arched doors (2 blocked and
the central one C19) open from the hall to the cross-
passage. 2 similar openings on the other side formerly gave
access to service rcoms. The principal apartment to the west
has heavily moulded posts, the moulding continuing via
curved braces to the floor beams which in turn support
moulded joists. C19 or C20 panelling. The west range
contains cambered tie-beam trusses which are moulded, have
king posts and carved roundels on the underside in the
centre. The grand staircase (1630, Pevsner) has a C17-style
moulded handrail, cannon-like balusters and massive finials
on the newel posts. A gallery above has barleysugar twist
balusters. The east range is considerably altered but has a
fine plaster ceiling (early C19, possibly 1818) with rinceau
and husk garland motifs and an Adam-style fire surround.
Skull of Ambrose Barlow, martyred 1641, preserved in niche.
Moated site the history of which can be traced back to 1292.
The hall is an important survival of the open-hall
courtyard-type house which, despite rebuilding, still
retains its original form and much of its original fabric.
It illustrates well the change from open-hall to 2-storey
living in the C16. N.G. Philips, Old Halls of Lancashire and
Cheshire, 1893. H. Taylor, Old Halls in Lancashire and
Cheshire, 1884.

Listing NGR: SD7577702183

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wardley Hall at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q7969180

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  A Buying and Owning a Listed Building: A Brief Guide
• 
  Suffolk: West: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects, Supplement 2014
• 
  Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2
• 
  Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Lancashire: Manchester and the South-East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)