Hollingworth Hall

Has been described as a Possible Fortified Manor House

There are no visible remains

NameHollingworth Hall
Alternative NamesHollingworth House; Holyngworthe
Historic CountryCheshire
Modern AuthorityTameside
1974 AuthorityGreater Manchester
Civil ParishLongdendale

Site of a C17 building which incorporated parts of an earlier, possibly fortified, house. The later house comprised a stone-built central block with a porch and three storey cross wings. The porch was rebuilt circa 1835 and a coat of arms added, possibly taken from the demolished gatehouse. (PastScape)

Hollingworth Hall, which is now demolished, was the seat of the Hollyngeworthes. They were said to be one of the few Saxon families who held the seat of their ancestors up until the middle of the 19th century. The family is certainly known here from the time of King John.

Originally the building was of a quadrangular plan, consisting of a great hall, chapel and gatetower. It is thought to date from the early 15th century, retaining the site of an even earlier building. However, in the 17th century the Hall was considerably reconstructed. Further rebuilding also occurred, so that by the end of the 19th century the Hall displayed features of several different periods. It had the basic characteristics of a 17th century building, but parts of the interior revealed the original structure.

At some time in the Hall's history, a gatehouse existed opposite to the drawing room. By the late 19th century, all that remained of this was the archway, which was characteristic of Tudor work. It is probable that the gate-tower of the original structure was reduced in height and made into a gatehouse or porter's lodge. In the late 19th century, Mr. Taylor, the owner at the time, completely demolished this porter's lodge. In its place he erected a porch which re-used some of the original stone, and incorporated the archway and Hollyngworthe coat of arms, consisting of three holly leaves in a diagonal band, from the former gatehouse. (Walker and Tyndall)

Gatehouse Comments

The gatehouse was demolished in the C19 and the rest of the house was destroyed by Manchester waterworks in 1944 without any analysis of it's structure.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

Not Listed

Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceSK001978
Latitude53.4771881103516
Longitude-1.99890005588531
Eastings400160
Northings397820
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Books

  • Emery, Anthony, 2000, Greater Medieval Houses of England and Wales Vol. 2 East Anglia, Central England and Wales (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press) p. 477
  • Peter de Figueiredo and Julian Treuherz, 1988, Cheshire country houses
  • Walker, J.S.F. and Tyndall, A.S. (eds), 1985, Country Houses of Greater Manchester p. 167 online copy
  • Middleton, T., 1899, Annals of Hyde and District (Manchester: Cartwright and Battray) p. 224-27 online copy
  • Ormerod, G., 1819, History of the County Palatine and city of Chester (London) Vol. 3 p. 418 (tenurial history) online copy

Journals

  • Waite, James A., 1898, 'The lesser-known gatehouses and gateways of Lancashire and Cheshire' Transactions of the Historic Society of Lancashire and Cheshire Vol. 50 p. 75- esp 107-8 (illus) online copy