Somerford Booths Hall

From Wikishire
Jump to: navigation, search
Somerford Booths Hall
Cheshire
Neale(1824) p1.034 - Somerford Booths Hall, Cheshire.jpg
Somerford Booths Hall in 1824
Location
Grid reference: SJ831655
Location: 53°11’12"N, 2°15’17"W
Village: Somerford Booths
History
Built 1612
For: Edmund Swetenham
Country house
Jacobean
Information
Owned by: Property Holdings Ltd

Somerford Booths Hall is a Jacobean country house standing by Somerford Booths in Cheshire. It is found some two miles north-west of Congleton, on the bank of the River Dane.

The house was built in the height of the Jacobean Age, and is today is a Grade II* listed building.[1]

History

The house was built in 1612 as a moated dwelling for Edmund Swetenham. After several generations of Swetenhams the ownership passed in 1768 to Roger Cumberbatch, who then assumed the name and arms of Swetenham.[2] The house was improved for Clement Swetenham in 1817 by John Webb. After several more generations the house was sold in the 1930s.

During much of the 20th century the house has been used as offices. In 2010 planning permission was granted to restore it for residential use.[3]

Architecture

The house is constructed in rendered brick, with ashlar dressings and a slate roof. It has an E-shaped plan and is in two storeys plus attics. The entrance front is symmetrical in five bays, the central and lateral bays projecting forwards. The central bay comprises a porch, containing a doorway with a lintel inscribed with "Edmund Swetenham" and the date 1612. Above this is a four-light window with mullions and a transom. At the top of the bay is a small gable with ball finials at the sides and apex. The recessed bays on each sides of the porch, and the projecting lateral wings, have five-light windows in the ground floor and four-light windows in the upper storey. The lateral wings are gabled and have ball finials. Behind and above the projecting wings is the attic floor that contains three gables, each with a three-light window and more ball finials. The left side of the house has four bays, three of which are gabled. In the ground floor are four sets of French windows; the upper floor contains sash windows. At the rear are five symmetrical bays, the central bay having a flat parapet, the others being gabled. The central bay contains a single-storey bay window.[1]

The Entrance to Somerford Booths Hall

Outside links

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 National Heritage List 1138721: Somerford Booths Hall (Grade II* listing)
  2. Lysons, Daniel. Magna Britannia: Being a Concise Topographical Account of the ..., Volume 2. 
  3. Hunt, Michael (26 November 2010), Proposals for Somerford Booths Hall approved, Place North West, http://www.placenorthwest.co.uk/news/archive/7737-proposals-for-somerford-booths-hall-approved.html, retrieved 8 July 2011