The Exterior
As you walk around the Hall, each wing sets a different mood. The most iconic image of the Hall is the beautiful half-timbered brown and white east front, but turn the corner, and the south front presents a real contrast. This impressive Georgian building, with a portico supported by four Ionic columns, was built to replace the half-timbered south and west wings which had been destroyed by fire.
The four wings shelter a courtyard, where you can see the original inscription dating the building to 1581. You can also see the sturdy sixteenth century gatehouse doors, complete with holes used by the Royalist defenders as they aimed their muskets at the Parliamentarians in the Civil War.
To the east is a stable block, entered through an archway. These stables have now been converted into mews flats, let out to tenants.
The Gardens
Adlington Hall’s gardens are an oasis of tranquility, with a rich variety of natural and man-made features. It is thought that the gardens were first landscaped in the middle of the 18th century by Charles Legh, in the style of Capability Brown. In recent years, we have restored the gardens to their original glory and added a number of new attractions.
The Yew Walk and the Lime Avenue
These are the garden’s earliest features. The Yew Walk was originally planted in 1650. The Lime Avenue was added in 1688, to celebrate the accession of William and Mary to the throne.
The Wilderness
The Wilderness was planted in the middle of the 18th century. The original planting included Lebanon cedars, redwoods and hornbeams. Victorian additions include monkey puzzles and rhododendrons.
As you explore, you’ll discover the domed Temple to Diana; the Shell Cottage, so named because its internal walls are decorated with shells, pebbles and coloured mirrors; and the chinoiserie black and white T’ing House. There is also a Chinese bridge across the meandering River Dean.
The Laburnum Arcade
One of our newer additions, the Laburnum Arcade features six sets of gothic arches covered in glorious yellow laburnum. The Arcade forms a grand entrance to the Rose Garden.
The Rose Garden
A feast of colour and fragrance all summer long. Rambler roses climb pillars and rope swags, framing formal rose beds planted with individual varieties of rose. The centrepiece gazebo is the ideal spot for taking a rest before you move on to tackle the challenge of the maze.
The Yew Maze
There’s a unicorn at the centre – but can you find it? Planted in 1996, the yew maze offers a real challenge for adults and children alike.
The Flower Parterre and the Father Tiber Garden
A formal flower parterre in front of the half-timbered east front of the Hall adjoins our new water garden, built around a statue of Father Tiber, the Roman River God. Here, ponds, fountains and a water cascade create a small island of peace and serenity.