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History
&
​Heritage

Croft Then and Now: Orford House

6/4/2022

 

Orford House Auction in 1906

Mono orford house, croft
Orford House, probably taken between 1900 and 1910.
Friday 27th July 1906
Wigan Observer and District Advertiser

BY ORDER OF TRUSTEES.
CROFT, NEAR WARRINGTON.
VALUABLE FREEHOLD RESIDENCE & GARDENS
DETACHED DWELLING-HOUSE, AND
AGRICULTURAL & BUILDING LAND FOR SALE.
MR. GEORGE WILCOCK will SELL BY AUCTION at the KENYON JUNCTION HOTEL, KENYON JUNCTION, on Wednesday, the 1st August, 1906, at 5 for 6pm., subject to the general and special conditions to be then and there produced: -

LOT 1. – All that Detached RESIDENCE, situate in Lady Lane, croft, near Warrington, called ‘Orford House’, with the Outbuildings, Gardens, and Five Fields adjoining thereto. This Lot has a frontage to Lady Lane of about 196 yards, and an area of about 13a.3r.2p. statute measure.
​
Orford House is substantially built, and contains entrance hall, two entertaining rooms, kitchen, pantry, scullery, larder and wash-house, five bedrooms and bathroom, and a small conservatory and potting house. The Outbuildings consist of brick-built and slated barn, shippon, fodder bing, two-stall stable, all with hay lofts over; granary, coach house, card shed and fowl house, with store rooms over hay and implement shed and piggeries, all in good repair. There are three large Cisterns for storing rain water, and the house is supplied from the Corporation mains. The pleasure grounds are planted with well grown and ornamental trees and shrubs. There are also an orchard, kitchen garden, and plantations, all walled or fenced in. Vacant possession of the house and gardens, but not of the fields and farm buildings, can be given on completion.

Orford House Sale in 2016

Picture
Orford House, taken in 2022
Orford House is an amazing Victorian detached family home with five bedrooms offering for sale a wealth of character with original features retained.

This is a stunning property has high ceilings, cast iron open fires and original tiled floors. The rooms are spacious and offer hallway to the main lounge and leading to separate sunny conservatory. Formal dining area, morning room with open fire and access to the kitchen, downstairs four-piece shower room, a useful utility room and a pantry. To the first floor there are five double bedrooms and a generous size bathroom.

The property is private and stands on a fantastic plot hidden off the main road which gives you the feeling of tranquillity. There is a driveway approach leading to a detached double garage. Ornamental pond and enclosed boundaries. Laid to lawn with an extensive range of plants, flowers and shrub borders.

Missing Chapel Site Located After 200 Years

21/3/2022

 

Croft Methodist Chapel was built in 1817

That we do know for certain, as it was taken apart and the materials used to build Culcheth Independent Methodist Chapel at Twiss Green in Culcheth.

Here is an extract from ‘A Short History of Independent Methodism’ by Arthur Mounfield, published in 1905.

‘James Wood, a tenant of an old farm near Kenyon Hall, allowed his kitchen to be used for worship by a group of his peers. His co-workers included Timothy Leather, John Fearnhead, Richard Hunt, John Goulden and John Massey, among others. Public worship was continued in the kitchen until 1845, when a chapel at Croft, which was disused, was taken down and removed to a site given by Richard Hunt.’
Culcheth Chapel in 1845
The only image of the chapel, after it was rebuilt at Culcheth in 1845
‘The Story of The Lancashire Congregational Union 1806 – 1906’
​
by Nightingale has Croft listed under ‘Churches formerly aided but that have now been abandoned’
Croft, near Warrington 1830 – 1834 Amount £75 Abandoned

It was then registered as a Wesleyan Methodist place of worship in 1837.​
Picture
Certificate of Registration from 1837
By 1845 it was disused and so taken apart and used to build Culcheth Independent Methodist Chapel as stated.

After 1845...

After the rebuilding of the chapel, the previous site was forgotten about.
Every source I have found that does mention Croft Methodist Chapel, states that the site is either missing or unknown.


Historic Culcheth: The Story of a Village by Rosemary Keery
‘It is thought that a disused church in Croft was demolished and rebuilt on the present site, but the details of this cannot be traced.’

Croft: The History of a Village by Alan Sharpe
‘Records show that an Independent Methodist Chapel was built in Croft in 1817, though the site on which it was built is unknown.’

A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 4, (1911) William Farrer and J Brownbill
'An Independent Methodist chapel was built at Croft in 1817 but has disappeared.'
These sources are all accurate to a point. There seems to be nothing at all in any archives or other available means.

​One source claims that the burial ground on Lady Lane (belonging to Croft Unitarian Chapel) is the burial site from the missing Methodist Chapel.
I can only assume this is just a wild guess from the author, as his dates for burials at Christ Church are also inaccurate.


Celtic Warrington and Other Mysteries: Book One by Mark Olly
‘This cemetery is part of the old original burial ground of the Independent Methodist Chapel built in 1817 which had been demolished by the 1870’s after burials began in earnest at Christ Church.’

2022 Location Found

I recently had the chance to look through the tithe registers from 1837 to 1843, which also included the full tithe plan, to scale with the current map.
Picture
Croft with Southworth Tithe Plan Cover
The Methodist Chapel was on the list with full details and a reference number for the plan.

The landowners at the time were George Birch & John Byrom & Peter Philips & William Bowker as Trustees of The Methodist Chapel dated from 30th April 1837. The site of the chapel and yard were included. The quantity of land was 10 Perches (Land was split into Acres, Roods and Perches), with a charge of 1d. payable to the rector.
Picture
Section of the Tithe Register

The Green Pin Marks the Location

Picture
Original Tithe Plan overlaid with the current satellite view.
A document held at Lancashire Archives entitled ‘Highway Papers’ with the date 5th October 1831 contains a

Plan and notice for stopping up order for footpath between Southworth Hall, Heath Lane and Wesleyan Methodist Chapel in Southworth with croft, Warrington.

​Looking at the tithe plan overlaid with the 1834 map, this makes perfect sense as the footpath is clearly shown.
Picture
Original Tithe Plan overlaid with the 1834 map.

​The location using todays measurements and maps are:

What3Words                    bumping.consults.sensibly
Latitude, Longitude        53.448348, -2.5626590 
Eastings, Northings        362728, 394767 
​
British National Grid Reference SJ627947 

I have checked with Land Registry and the land is now owned by Peel Investments (NORTH) Limited.

See more local places of worship

Croft Then and Now - The General Elliot

14/1/2022

 
Picture

The General Elliot
​Warrington Examiner 1892

To Brewers, Capitalists and others. Valuable FREEHOLD HOTEL and Pleasure Grounds at Croft near WARRINGTON. TO BE SOLD BY AUCTION BY
MR. THOMAS SUTTON at the LION HOTEL, WARRINGTON, on TUESDAY, 13TH SEPTEMBER 1892, at 3 for 4 o’clock p.m. precisely, subject to conditions to be then produced –

All that Freehold, Old-established, and Fully-licensed HOTEL, known as the GENERAL ELLIOT, situate in the centre of the well-known village of Croft, near Warrington, and distant from that town about five miles, and lying at a convenient distance from the neighbouring towns of St. Helens, Wigan, Bolton, Manchester, Leigh, and the thickly populated districts surrounding the same.

The house comprises bar, four public rooms, assembly room, large pavilion, capable of dining 300 persons, and nine bedrooms, with good cellarage, store-room, and out-offices, all being well adapted for carrying on an extensive hotel, restaurant and catering business.
The grounds comprise large enclosed bowling green in excellent condition, commodious outside bar, ornamental pleasure gardens, tastefully laid out with trees, plants, and shrubs, with artificially heated monkey house and aviary, fox-house, stabling for 12 horses, cottage, warehouse, and others, the whole covering a considerable area.

The above affords an opportunity seldom to be met with to purchase a well-established pleasure resort of a most successful and remunerative character, and which could readily be further developed to an almost unlimited extent.
The Hotel, where there is every accommodation for visitors, is easily accessible by road and rail from the above-mentioned and other important manufacturing towns in Lancashire and Cheshire, and the various attractions and amusements afforded by this pleasant resort draw together large concourses of pleasure-seekers, particularly during the summer months.

For further particulars apply to the owner, E. W. SANKEY Esq., Croft: the auctioneer, Warrington 1 or to Messrs. ROBERT DAVIES, KIRKCONNEL, DAVIES AND BURGESS Solicitors, Warrington.

The General Elliot
Online Ad, 2022
130 Years Later

The General Elliot is an attractive 2-storey, double-fronted property with single-storey extensions to the rear including an attractive conservatory. Situated in the suburban village of Croft approximately 4 miles north of Warrington town centre and just north of the M6/M62 interchange equidistant between Liverpool and Manchester. The property is situated in the heart of this attractive village with a mix of 18th-century cottages and more modern housing nearby most of which are relatively high value.

The premises comprise several clearly defined trading areas including a conservatory, rear dining/function room, split-level bar with dining in the lower level and two additional split-level snugs. The property has a light and airy contemporary feel and will comfortably seat 100 covers internally with an additional capacity of circa 80 covers seated in the lawned garden area or on the rear patio with views across the Cheshire countryside.
Additionally, there is a detached two-storey property within the demise previously operated as a general store with the car park to the rear accommodating 50+ vehicles.
The private accommodation consists of three bedrooms, lounge, kitchen, WC, bathroom, utility room and office.

The property trades predominantly as a food-led destination site with much of the impetus being on delivering quality, home-cooked food reflected in the excellent trip advisor reviews and the reputation locally. This is not to detract from the position of the site in the community, ensuring that it benefits from significant wet-only trade encouraged by the quality product range including the capacity to have 4 cask products available. The current menu is positioned such that starters are priced generally between £5-£8 with main courses starting at circa £10 up to £20 with a lunchtime offer available.
The General Elliot then and now
Two images of the General Elliot, old and new, blended together.

    Author

    Cheyvonne Bower is a local historian with a passion for the past.
    A member of
    ​Manchester & Lancashire Family History Society.

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  • Home
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    • The Yates Family >
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      • Mary Yates
      • Samuel Yates
      • James Yates
      • Ellen Yates Junior
      • Richard Yates
      • Richard Yates Part 2
      • Richard Yates Part 3
      • Joseph Yates
      • Anne Yates Interview
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