Great Moreton Hall

Great Moreton Hall from the southwest

53°07′57″N 2°14′29″W / 53.1324°N 2.2414°W / 53.1324; -2.2414

Great Moreton Hall is a former country house in Moreton cum Alcumlow near Congleton, in Cheshire, England, less than a mile (1.6 km) from its better-known near namesake Little Moreton Hall. Designed by Edward Blore,[1] it was built in 1841 by Manchester businessman George Holland Ackers, to replace a large timber-framed building that had been the home of the Bellot family since 1602.[2] Great Moreton Hall is built in two storeys, interspersed with three and four-storey towers. The service wing to the left of and adjoining the main part of the building is slightly lower than the rest of the structure.[3]

The main entrance is via a broad flight of steps from a porte-cochère, leading to the entrance lobby and a large central hall. A triple arcade at one end of the hall leads to the main staircase, opposite a hooded fireplace decorated with the arms of the Ackers family. The Library, Drawing Room, Billiard Room, Saloon, and the Great Hall are arranged symmetrically around the central hall.[4] "Dark narrow internal corridors" allowed the servants, whose quarters were in the cellars, to reach all the rooms without having to pass through the central hall.[5]

Great Moreton Hall was designated a Grade II* listed building on 14 February 1967.[3] Since 1931 the house has served first as a school and then as a hotel and conference centre.[5] Great Moreton Hall has been in private ownership since 1992. HM Land Registry

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference ODNB was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ de Figueiredo & Treuherz (1988), p. 103
  3. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference EH was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ de Figueiredo & Treuherz (1988), pp. 104–105
  5. ^ a b de Figueiredo & Treuherz (1988), p. 106