Cuerden Hall
Encyclopedia
Cuerden Hall is a country mansion in the village of Cuerden
near Preston, Lancashire, England. It is a Grade II* listed building. The Hall was formerly a family home between 1717 and 1906, and used by the Army up until the 1960s. It is now a Sue Ryder
Care Home. The parkland and wider estate are known as Cuerden Valley Park.
Robert Parker (1710). Upon his death in 1738 the estate passed to his son Robert Parker (1727–1779) and in turn to his grandchildren Banastre Parker (1758–1788) and Thomas Towneley Parker (1760–1794).
In the years 1816 to 1819 Robert Towneley Parker (1793–1879), having inherited the estate from his father, remodelled the Hall according to the designs of Lewis Wyatt
. This incorporated a significant extension to the east wing of the property.
After the death of Capt. Robert Townley Parker (1823–1894) and later his brother Thomas Towneley Parker (1822–1906) the estate passed to their nephew Reginald Arthur Tatton (1857–1926) who re-designed the gardens, introducing a pergola and gazebo, a walled garden and pond.
During the First World War Tatton adapted the Hall for use as an infirmary for troops, and between 1 May 1915 and 8 June 1917 it was known as Cuerden Hall Auxiliary Hospital. The drawing rooms, with the Tatton family’s collection of old masters and portraits still adorning the walls, were turned into wards and furnished with beds, bed linen and equipment, whilst the parkland and gardens provided an area for convalescence for the soldiers, enjoying such activities as boating on the lake, haymaking, and picnicking. There were also trips to the Tatton family’s other house nearby, Astley Hall
. An album filled with photographs, letters and news cuttings that tell this particular story in Cuerden Hall's history was recently offered for sale.
During the Second World War, the estate was requisitioned by the Ministry of Defence
and converted into an Army Education Centre and later became the British Army
Divisional Headquarters (number four of five) of the Anti-Aircraft Command
. By the late 1950s the Hall had been in use by the Army intermittently for a number of years and in 1958, after nearly 250 years of private family ownership, the Hall was finally sold by the Tatton family to the Ministry of Defence and it became the Army's Headquarters North West District.
In 1977 the Central Lancashire Development Corporation took over the Hall from the Ministry of Defence and established its own Headquarters there, in the process constructing new offices and car parks in the grounds. By 1978, the parkland and wider estate had been developed into Cuerden Valley Park and in 1986, following vacation of the building by the Corporation, work had started on converting the Hall into a Sue Ryder Care Home, its present occupiers.
Cuerden
Cuerden is a village and civil parish of the Borough of Chorley, in Lancashire, England. It is situated between Bamber Bridge and Leyland, and has a population of 77.-History:The name derives from the Welsh cerdin, the plural of cerdinen, "rowan"....
near Preston, Lancashire, England. It is a Grade II* listed building. The Hall was formerly a family home between 1717 and 1906, and used by the Army up until the 1960s. It is now a Sue Ryder
Sue Ryder
Margaret Susan Cheshire, Baroness Ryder of Warsaw and Baroness Cheshire, CMG, OBE , best known as Sue Ryder, was a British volunteer with Special Operations Executive in the Second World War, who afterwards led many charitable organizations, notably the charity named in her honour.-Early...
Care Home. The parkland and wider estate are known as Cuerden Valley Park.
History
The original house on the site, dating from the 17th century, no longer exists. The present building dates from 1717 and was erected by Banastre Parker, son of the former High Sheriff of LancashireHigh Sheriff of Lancashire
The High Sheriff of Lancashire is an ancient officer, now largely ceremonial, granted to Lancashire, a county in North West England. High Shrievalties are the oldest secular titles under the Crown, in England and Wales...
Robert Parker (1710). Upon his death in 1738 the estate passed to his son Robert Parker (1727–1779) and in turn to his grandchildren Banastre Parker (1758–1788) and Thomas Towneley Parker (1760–1794).
In the years 1816 to 1819 Robert Towneley Parker (1793–1879), having inherited the estate from his father, remodelled the Hall according to the designs of Lewis Wyatt
Lewis Wyatt
Lewis William Wyatt was a British architect, a nephew of both Samuel and James Wyatt of the Wyatt family of architects, who articled with each of his uncles and began practice on his own about 1805....
. This incorporated a significant extension to the east wing of the property.
After the death of Capt. Robert Townley Parker (1823–1894) and later his brother Thomas Towneley Parker (1822–1906) the estate passed to their nephew Reginald Arthur Tatton (1857–1926) who re-designed the gardens, introducing a pergola and gazebo, a walled garden and pond.
During the First World War Tatton adapted the Hall for use as an infirmary for troops, and between 1 May 1915 and 8 June 1917 it was known as Cuerden Hall Auxiliary Hospital. The drawing rooms, with the Tatton family’s collection of old masters and portraits still adorning the walls, were turned into wards and furnished with beds, bed linen and equipment, whilst the parkland and gardens provided an area for convalescence for the soldiers, enjoying such activities as boating on the lake, haymaking, and picnicking. There were also trips to the Tatton family’s other house nearby, Astley Hall
Astley Hall
Astley Hall is a country house in Chorley, Lancashire, England. Oliver Cromwell is said to have stayed here for a time. The hall is now owned by the town and is known as Astley Hall Museum and Art Gallery. The extensive landscaped grounds are now Chorley's Astley Park.-History:The site was...
. An album filled with photographs, letters and news cuttings that tell this particular story in Cuerden Hall's history was recently offered for sale.
During the Second World War, the estate was requisitioned by the Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
and converted into an Army Education Centre and later became the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
Divisional Headquarters (number four of five) of the Anti-Aircraft Command
Anti-Aircraft Command
Anti-Aircraft Command was a British Army command of the Second World War that controlled the anti-aircraft artillery units of the British Isles.-History:...
. By the late 1950s the Hall had been in use by the Army intermittently for a number of years and in 1958, after nearly 250 years of private family ownership, the Hall was finally sold by the Tatton family to the Ministry of Defence and it became the Army's Headquarters North West District.
In 1977 the Central Lancashire Development Corporation took over the Hall from the Ministry of Defence and established its own Headquarters there, in the process constructing new offices and car parks in the grounds. By 1978, the parkland and wider estate had been developed into Cuerden Valley Park and in 1986, following vacation of the building by the Corporation, work had started on converting the Hall into a Sue Ryder Care Home, its present occupiers.