Oulton Estate facts for kids
The Oulton Estate was once a large property in Cheshire, England. In the early 1700s, it was home to the Egerton family. The estate had a big house, a fancy garden, and lots of farmland. Later, the farmland was turned into a beautiful park. Today, the Oulton Estate is famous for the motor racing track called Oulton Park.
History of the Estate
The Grounds and Gardens
In 1731, Philip Egerton took over the Oulton Estate. At that time, it was about 231 acres (0.93 square kilometers). It had a house, a formal garden, and farmland. Around 1752, Philip started building a brick wall around the estate. He added more fields, making the total area about 315 acres (1.27 square kilometers).
When Philip died in 1766, his brother John inherited the estate. Then in 1770, Philip's son, also named Philip, took over. By this time, people preferred natural-looking landscaped gardens over formal ones. Philip Egerton hired a designer named William Emes to create a new plan for his estate.
Emes' plan was made around 1770. The work continued for at least 10 more years. The idea was to get rid of the old formal garden. They also planned to move a small brook. By building dams, they would create two lakes connected by a cascade. A special banqueting hall was to be built on an island in the bigger lake. Many new trees and shrubs were also planted. The park would also have a bowling green, gravel paths, and a boathouse.
The Oulton House
In 1715, John Egerton decided to build a brand new house. People say the old Tudor house had burned down. The new house was built in the Baroque style. It had a grand front with 15 sections, called bays. The middle three bays had fancy Corinthian columns and carvings.
A drawing shows the house might have had a central dome. But if it did, it was gone by the 1800s. The entrance hall was very tall, going through two floors of the house. It had Corinthian pilasters and a special plaster ceiling.
Around 1773, the old gates and gate posts were moved to St Oswald's Church, Malpas. New ones were put in their place. These new gates and an entrance lodge were designed by Joseph Turner. In 1786, John Egerton inherited the house. He and the owners after him made some changes in the 1800s. Between 1816 and 1820, Lewis Wyatt changed the inside of the house. He also added stables and a terrace. Sadly, the house was destroyed by fire in 1926. It was then bombed in 1940.
Present Day Oulton Estate
Today, the beautiful grounds of the Oulton Estate are used as a motor racing circuit. Even though the house is gone, some old buildings from the estate still exist.
The entrance gates, lodges, and screen designed by Joseph Turner around 1775 are still standing. They are very important and are called a Grade II* listed building. This means they are of special historical interest.
In the grounds, there is also a monument built in 1846. It remembers John Francis Egerton of the Bengal Horse Regiment. This monument was designed by Scott and Moffatt. It is also a Grade II* listed building.
The stable block, designed by Lewis Wyatt, is still there too. It is listed at Grade II. A farm building near the stable block is also a Grade II listed building.
