Bramall Hall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bramall Hall |
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Bramall Hall from the west, the side of the main entrance, showing the courtyard and the north and south wings. The Great Hall is in the centre.
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| General information | |
| Architectural style | Tudor |
| Town or city | Bramhall, Greater Manchester |
| Country | England |
| Coordinates | 53°22′26″N 2°10′00″W / 53.3740°N 2.1666°W |
| Construction started | 14th century |
| Technical details | |
| Structural system | Timber framed |
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Listed Building – Grade I
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| Official name: Bramall Hall | |
| Designated: | 9 August 1966 |
| Reference #: | 1260476 |
Bramall Hall is an old Tudor manor house located in Bramhall, Greater Manchester, England. This amazing building is made with a timber frame. Its oldest parts were built in the 1300s, with more sections added in the 1500s and 1800s. Today, Bramall Hall is a museum. Its huge 70 acres (28 ha) park, called Bramhall Park, is open for everyone to enjoy.
The area of Bramall was first mentioned in the Domesday Book in 1086. Back then, the Massey family owned it. From the late 1300s, the Davenport family took over. They built the house you see today and lived there for about 500 years! In 1877, they sold the large estate. Later, in 1925, John Henry Davies bought it. Then, in 1935, the local council took ownership. Since 1974, Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council has owned Bramall Hall. They call it the most important historical building in the Bramhall Park area.
Contents
History of Bramall Hall
Early Days
The name "Bramall" comes from old English words. It means "a hidden place where broom plants grow." Bramall was a manor even before the Norman conquest in 1066. It was owned by two Anglo-Saxon freemen. After William the Conqueror took over England, he gave the land to Hamon de Massey around 1070.
The first record of Bramall was in the Domesday Book. It was listed as "Bramale" and was part of Cheshire. Its value dropped a lot after the Norman conquest.
In the 1100s, the manor passed to Matthew de Bromale. His family might have named themselves after the manor. Then, in 1370, Alice de Bromale married John de Davenport. This is how the Davenport family came to own Bramall Hall for centuries.
The Davenport Family
The Davenports were a powerful family in northern England. Their family history goes back to the time of the Norman conquest. They were known for being in charge of Macclesfield Forest. Their family crest shows a man's head with a rope around his neck. This is said to represent their power over life and death back then. The Davenports gained land in many places, including Bramhall through marriage.
The Davenports owned Bramall for about 500 years. They likely built the current house after they took over. The first William Davenport was lord of the manor from 1478 to 1528. He might have helped Henry VII become king. Some stories say Bramall was damaged around this time. This suggests the house might have been rebuilt or repaired.
The third William Davenport fought in Scotland for Henry VIII. He was knighted in 1544. The fifth William Davenport inherited Bramall in 1585. He lived there with his wife Dorothy for over 50 years. The first wedding in Bramall's chapel was in 1599. In 1603, King James I knighted the fifth William. During his time, many changes were made to the house. A new room was added above the Great Hall, and a long gallery was built. The inside of the house was also decorated with paintings.
The sixth William Davenport became owner in 1639, just before the English Civil War. He supported the King, but many of his tenants fought for Parliament. Soldiers from both sides often visited Bramall Hall. They took supplies and used the house for shelter. William Davenport had to pay a large fine.
Later Owners
After the sixth William, the estate passed through several more Davenports. An inventory from 1706 shows the gallery and gatehouse were still there. Warren Davenport, who was a priest, started a school near the estate entrance. The last William Davenport inherited the house when he was four. During his time, parts of the house were changed. The gatehouse and the long gallery were taken down, possibly because they were unsafe. William had no sons, so the estate went to Salusbury Pryce Humphreys. He was the husband of William's daughter, Maria.
Humphreys was a naval captain. He became very respected in the area. In 1838, he changed his name to Davenport to keep the family name going. He and Maria moved away in 1841, perhaps because living at Bramall was too expensive.
For the next ten years, the house was probably rented out. Maria Davenport preferred to live elsewhere. Her son, William Davenport, later lived at Bramall for four years. During his time, many people visited Bramall. The Chapel was still used for church services. After William died in 1869, the house was rented to Wakefield Christy. This ended the Davenport family's direct connection to Bramall Hall.
Recent History
In 1876, John Davenport returned to Bramall. But in 1877, the estate was put up for sale. The furniture was sold at auction. The house and the rest of the land were sold to a property company from Manchester. The house stayed empty until 1882. Then, Thomas Nevill, a rich local businessman, bought it for his son, Charles.
Charles Nevill made many changes to the house. He made the inside more comfortable but kept most of its outside look. The gardens were also redesigned. New buildings like a stable and lodges were added.
Thomas Nevill's nephew, also named Thomas, inherited the estate in 1916. He decided to sell it after World War I because of money problems. In 1923, more furniture was sold. There were even rumors that Bramall Hall would be taken apart and moved to the United States!
In 1925, the house was put up for auction. If no one bought it, it would be torn down. But John Henry Davies, who was the president of Manchester United, offered £15,000 for the house. His offer was accepted. He lived there until he died in 1927. His wife, Amy, stayed until 1935. She then sold it to the local council for £14,360. Her goal was for the house and park to be open to the public.
Under council ownership, a caretaker lived in the house. Most of the building was open to visitors. The house and grounds were used for many events. Local schools often visited to learn about history. One of the council's first projects was to fix up the chapel. It had fallen apart. It was restored to look like it did when the Davenports lived there. Services started again in 1938.
In 1947, a group called the Friends of Bramall Hall was formed. They helped find furniture for the house. They also helped with advertising and keeping the house and grounds nice. Over the years, many original furnishings were returned. Today, Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council owns the estate.
Bramall Hall Today
Bramall Hall and its grounds are open to everyone. Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council manages them. Visitors can take a tour of the house or explore on their own. The park is always open for people to walk around.
Many events and club meetings happen at the hall throughout the year. Schools often visit to learn about life in different historical periods. The house is also a popular place for weddings. It has even been used as a setting for TV shows and films! Some examples include Prank Patrol, Cash in the Attic, and Coronation Street.
Today, the house is called "Bramall" and the park is called "Bramhall." But over the years, both names have been spelled in different ways. The Domesday Book used "Bramale." The council decided to keep "Bramall" for the house and "Bramhall" for the park.
Exploring the House
People have lived in Bramhall since Saxon times. The house is a Grade I listed building, which means it's very important. The oldest parts are from the late 1300s. Later changes were made in the 1500s and 1800s.
The main entrance to the house is now on the west side, in the courtyard. You can see the layout of the house from here. The service wing is on the left, the Great Hall is in the middle, and the Banqueting Hall is on the right. In the past, a gatehouse closed off the courtyard. But it was taken down in the 1800s.
The house has stone foundations. Its main structure is made of strong oak timbers. These timbers are joined together with wooden pegs. The spaces between the timbers are filled with Wattle and daub or plaster. The famous black and white look of the timber framing comes from the Tudor period. Some parts have been repaired over the years.
Ground Floor Rooms
The Great Hall is the main part of Bramall Hall. In the Middle Ages, this room was used for everything. It was where the family ate and where important business was done. It was first built around the late 1300s. In the late 1500s, the Great Hall was rebuilt. The Withdrawing Room was created above it. A long gallery was also added as a third floor. This gallery was later taken down because it was thought to be unsafe. The Great Hall has a large bay window with leaded glass.
The Lesser Hall is next to the Great Hall. Its walls are covered in oak panels. The Banqueting Hall is thought to be the oldest part of the house. The Nevill family later used this room for playing billiards.
The chapel is across from the Banqueting Hall. It was the only public church in Bramhall until the 1800s. It was first mentioned in 1541. After falling into disrepair, the council restored it in 1935. Church services started again there. On the west wall, you can see the Ten Commandments written. Underneath them, there are faint traces of an older painting. This painting showed the Passion of Christ. Such paintings were banned during the English Reformation and covered up.
First Floor Rooms
The Ballroom, also called the Upper Banqueting Hall, has an arched roof. It probably dates from the 1500s. It has rare wall paintings from that time. One painting might show the nursery rhyme "Ride a cock horse." Another shows a man playing a mandolin.
Above the chapel is the Chapel Room. It used to be two rooms but was made into one larger room in the late 1800s. A blocked-up door near the fireplace was once thought to be a secret hiding place for priests. But it was probably an old entrance to the first floor.
North of the Chapel Room is the Paradise Room. Its name comes from the bed hangings. They show pictures of Adam and Eve and their fall from paradise. In Tudor times, "paradise" was a name for a favorite room. This room has panelled walls and a fireplace. There's also a small hidden area. It was once thought to be a secret passage. But it was more likely a toilet. This room became known for ghost sightings in the 1800s.
The largest room on the first floor is the Withdrawing Room. It is located above the Great Hall. It has a fancy plaster ceiling. The fireplace has the coat of arms of Queen Elizabeth I. The decorations in the room also show the coats of arms of Davenport family marriages.
The northern part of Bramall Hall became the service wing. This is where the kitchen, pantry, dairy, and storage rooms were on the ground floor. The servants' bedrooms were in the attic.
The Grounds and Park
Bramall Hall is surrounded by about 70 acres (28 ha) of parkland. This is only a small part of the original estate, which was once about 2,000 acres (810 ha)! The park used to be used for hunting. It had cattle, deer, and horses until the 1600s. Then it became farmland.
Two streams flow through the park. One is the Ladybrook, which later becomes the Micker Brook. The other is the Carr Brook. In the 1880s, Charles Nevill redesigned the park. He changed the path of the Ladybrook. He also added many trees and created artificial ponds. These ponds were once filled with trout. In 1888, a new driveway was built through the park. Terraces were also created below the East Front of the house.
Today, the park is open to the public. It has woodlands, open grassy areas, gardens, a café, a bowling green, and play areas for children.
See also
- Grade I listed buildings in Greater Manchester
- Listed buildings in Hazel Grove and Bramhall
