Little Moreton Hall

Little Moreton Hall is a timber-framed country house constructed in stages between the early 15th century and around 1600. The building comprises timber framing with rendered infill and Flemish bond brickwork, beneath a stone slate roof. It rises two and three storeys, with ranges grouped around three sides of a courtyard. The present appearance results from at least seven distinct building phases.

The eastern wing, including the present parlour and withdrawing room, was built before 1450 and originally contained a great hall on the site now occupied by these rooms, together with service quarters. Around 1450 the current great hall was constructed and the former hall converted to service accommodation. In approximately 1480 the west wing was added with new service rooms, creating an H-shaped plan. The former service range was then adapted for other purposes. In 1559 Richard Dale added bay windows to the hall—which was divided into two floors at this time—and to the withdrawing room and the chamber above it. Between 1559 and 1570 a further extension was built onto the eastern wing, incorporating a chapel. The south wing of three storeys, containing the guests' hall and long gallery, was added around 1570–80, and a further range of service rooms was built at the north-western corner around 1600.

Northern Front (Garden Elevation)

The gable end at the left, part of the earliest construction, displays small framing with chevron infill to the ground and first floors and decorative quatrefoils in the gable. The first floor and gable are jettied with moulded bressumers. The ground floor has two 18th-century sash windows with two-light casement windows flanking them. The first floor has a six-light casement window. To the left of this wing and slightly recessed stands a two-storey garderobe with a three-light casement window at ground floor level.

Immediately left of the wing rises a massive chimney stack of English bond brick from around 1480. At mezzanine level it features a bee-hole or light well with pointed arch and a two-light window at the back. The top is crowned by four diamond-shaped chimney stacks of 18th or early 19th-century brick.

To the right are the windows of the great hall range. At ground floor level these comprise windows of four and six lights with transoms, whilst the former first floor has windows of three and seven lights, all set within small-framed walling. Further right projects a 17th-century porch with close-studded curved walling, a plank door to the left, and a mezzanine staircase window of two lights to the right.

The projecting wing of around 1480 to the right of the porch has studding with chevron infill at ground floor level and a window of eight lights with transom in a projecting moulded surround. The coved jetty beneath the gable contains decorative panels with quatrefoil infill. Both the first floor and gable display quatrefoil panels in their walling. The first floor features an oriel window with coved jetty of eight lights with moulded mullions and transom, and single blocked lights to the sides. The corner posts of both projecting wings on this front are decorated, and these along with the false jetty between ground and first floors appear to be additions of around 1559–70, designed to relate the older sections to the new alterations on the courtyard front.

Eastern Front (Moat Elevation)

This elevation represents three building phases, with the earlier portion of around 1450 at the right. The far right features a garderobe tower with chevron infill to both floors. To its left is further chevron infill to both storeys. The ground floor has an 18th-century sash window at the right of four-by-six panes, with a two-light and a single-light window to the left. The first floor displays a five-light and a three-light window divided by a king-mullion and having a transom.

Further left stands a chimney stack of random bond brick with diapered diamond patterns in blue brick, probably dating from the 1559 alterations and containing two flues. To its left is a 19th-century ground floor window of six lights with transom, and at first floor level a window of eight lights, also with transom.

The section left of this dates from 1559–70 and likewise has chevron infill. At the far left is a two-light first floor window, immediately beside which stands a garderobe tower with two-light mullioned windows to ground and first floors on its right flank. To the left are a single-light ground floor window with a two-light casement above, and further left a chimney stack of 18th or 19th-century date built of red English garden wall bond brick with offsets to the sides and two flues.

The chapel chancel projects at the far left with a pointed arched window of five lights with chamfered wooden mullions, extending upward into the coved jetty of the gable. Further left and recessed is the end of the southern range built around 1600. This has two sloping buttresses to the ground floor of 18th or 19th-century date which rise to support the first floor oriel window and partially conceal the small-framing of the ground floor walling and the central window, which is blocked save for three lights in the upper right corner. The first floor is jettied with coving below divided by ovolo-moulded curved timbers which here have a moulded fascia board beneath the moulded bressumer. The first floor has chevron infill and an oriel with coved jetty of seven lights with two transoms. A further jetty sits above this.

The long gallery has half-gables to either side with small framing and quadrant infill, and a central oriel window of six blocked lights with two transoms. The gable above again has a coved jetty and quadrant infill, with moulded bargeboards and decorative pendants at the corners.

Western Elevation

The courtyard occupies the centre of this side. The range to the left dates from around 1480 and features two chimneybreasts of 16th-century English bond brick. The left-hand one has blue brick diapering in diamond patterns and one offset at the top, capped by one square flue with corrugated faces. The chimneybreast at right diminishes in girth via offsets and has a blocked doorway to the left. Between these is small-framed walling with chevron infill. The ground floor has an 18th-century sash window at right and a casement window at left, whilst the first floor has a two-light casement window at right. To the right of centre are two blocked doors to a garderobe which has now been removed.

The range to the right of the courtyard comprises two phases: the right section dates from around 1600 and the left from around 1630. At right is chevron infill to the ground floor walling with one six-light casement window with transom, and a coved jetty below the first floor divided into panels by moulded uprights. The first floor also has chevron-patterned infill and quatrefoils to the upper panels at either side of the central oriel window, which is supported by a coved jetty and has six lights and two transoms. The second floor has half-gables with quadrant infill to either side of the central oriel window, which has six lights and is similar to the first floor window. A jettied gable above also displays infill of quadrants with pendants suspended from the corners.

To the left of this, the addition of around 1630 has small-framing and chevron strutting with one first floor window of five lights and a ground floor doorway at right.

South Front (Moat Elevation)

A projecting gabled porch wing at the right has five-centred arched openings approached across the moat by an ashlar bridge of single span with a pointed arch and moulded coping. The entrance archway at ground floor level of the porch wing has a rectangular entrance with moulded posts to either side decorated with cable motifs, rinceau scrollwork ornament and capitals decorated with foliate drops. The first floor has two rows of trefoil-headed panels to its lower section, some with decoration to the spandrels and ovolo-moulded surrounds. Above these is a window of five lights with two transoms, flanked by panels of small-framing with quatrefoil infill. The corner posts have cable moulding and capitals similar to those at ground floor level.

The second floor also has a row of trefoil-headed panels to its lower section, above which is an oriel window of seven lights with two transoms, flanked by bays with quadrant infill. The gable has a coved jetty, quadrant infill, decorated bargeboards and decorated pendants at the corners. The sides of this porch wing have chevron, quatrefoil and quadrant infill to the three floors.

To the right in the re-entrant angle stands a chimneybreast of red brick with diamond patterns of blue brick diapering. This has an offset at first floor level and a cogged band, topped by a corrugated diamond-shaped chimney stack. To the right of this, the ground and first floor walling has chevron infill and one row of quatrefoils. Both floors have a coved jetty. Above the first floor is a portion of roofing which rises to the level of the sill of the long gallery window, which here comprises seven panes.

Further right and recessed is the range of 1559, which has chevron infill and a ground floor window at left of six lights with a transom. The 19th-century oriel at the first floor above this has six lights with a transom. The gable above has chevron strutting. The chancel at right and slightly recessed is of lesser height.

To the left of the porch wing the walling is of small-framing with chevron infill as seen at right. Immediately left of the porch is a ground floor window of six lights, probably 19th century, and at first floor level above is a three-light casement. To the left of this is a garderobe tower with windows of three lights with chamfered mullions to both floors at either side. Further left at ground floor level are a four-light window, a five-light window with transom and a three-light window, whilst the first floor has a five-light window with transom. The jetty below the roof is coved, and this roof rises to the level of the sill of the long gallery window, which here has 32 lights divided into rows of seven lights by king mullions, leaving four lights at right. As elsewhere the jetty below the roof is coved.

The Courtyard

On its northern face the projecting wing of around 1480 at left has chevron infill to the ground floor, with a plank door left of centre and casement windows of three and four lights to left and right respectively, both with transoms. Above the door is an elongated porch with close-studded walling with middle rail supported on angle brackets. To the right of this is a coved jetty which dies back to the walling of the first floor via a slate roof immediately, rather than supporting the first floor. This, together with the added corner posts, appears to be an addition of around 1559–70 which, along with the similar addition on the northern gable end of this wing, was designed to integrate the new alterations with the old fabric. The first floor has no windows and chevron-patterned infill. The gable is jettied with quatrefoils to the coving and chevron infill to the gable.

The right-hand side of this wing has chevron infill to the ground floor and a window of nine lights with transom. The first floor has a range of colonettes, with quatrefoils between, below the coved jetty of the first floor oriel which has eight lights with a transom and single lights to the sides, with a gable above.

The porch of the great hall has richly moulded timbers to either side of the four-centred doorway with rope motifs and foliage, above which are two rows of pillarettes supporting an oriel window similar to that at left. To the right of this is a section of recessed walling with a ground floor window of three lights.

Further right are the pair of semi-octagonal bay windows which project from the great hall and withdrawing room at ground floor level and are jettied out to join at first floor level. Each face of these windows has three lights at ground floor level, divided by two transoms. The oriel windows at first floor level have coved jetties and windows of five and three lights with single transoms. Above each face is a gable, immediately below which are decoratively moulded facing-boards around which runs the inscription: "God is Al in Al Thing: This windous whire made by William Moreton in the yeare of oure Lorde M.D.LIX". Below the coving of the right-hand window is inscribed "Richarde Dale Carpeder. Made/Thies Windous By the grac of GOD". In the re-entrant angle between these windows at ground floor level is the earlier four-centred doorway to the hall, now blocked.

The eastern range has small framing with chevron infill. There are three doorways—those at right and left having four-centred arches and that in between having a flat lintel—and two three-light casement windows. At the first floor to the left are two windows of three and four lights divided by a king mullion and having a transom. To the right are two oriel windows of five and four lights.

The southern range has the gatehouse entry left of centre with panels of foliate ornament and figures in relief. Chevron strutting occurs to the ground floor with a four-centred arch at right. A coved jetty below the first floor is subdivided into panels by carved vertical timbers. The first floor has chevron infill with quatrefoils to the upper section. At left is an oriel window with coved jetty of seven lights with two transoms and a gable above. To the right of this are a three-light and five-light window.

The long gallery at second floor level projects upward from the lower building and has one continuous strip of glazing divided into windows of seven lights by king mullions which correspond with the trusses. Right of centre is a gabled staircase wing which projects forward to be flush with the walling of the first floor. This has quadrant infill and a window of seven lights with transom and a gablet above.

The projecting wing of 1630 has brick walling to the ground floor on its left-hand side and a four-light window to the first floor. The north face has a four-centred doorway at left and two single-light windows to the ground floor, and chevron infill to the first floor. Above this is a coved jetty set with arched openings to a dovecote.

Interior

Hall Range

The hall is approached from the screens passage which has a floor of stone flags. The western wall has chevron-strutting to its upper section and two four-centred service doors and a panel of diagonally-braced infill to its lower section, which was altered at the time of the addition of the west wing around 1480.

The hall is of two bays with a central truss supported on moulded wall posts which also support hefty moulded arch braces rising to connect with a collar, the underside of which is also moulded. The two sets of purlins are chamfered and each has wind bracing. West of this is a minor truss with similarly moulded principals springing from the wall-plate to a moulded collar. Around 1480, when the new service rooms were built in the west wing, the position of the screens passage was moved from the eastern to the western end and the speer trusses were added or transferred here. These rise to meet the lower purlins and have similar mouldings to those of the trusses.

In around 1559 the hall was divided by the insertion of a floor and all the fenestration was consequently altered. The five-sided bay window by Richard Dale was added to the southern wall along with the ground floor window to its right, and the ground and first floor windows of the north wall, all with richly-moulded mullions and transoms. At first floor level a wall was added between the speers with a doorway at right, forming a passage from the former gallery. At the same time a brick chimney stack was added at the east of the northern wall with a moulded ashlar surround at ground floor level and a small two-light window at first floor level. At some time in the late 16th or early 17th century oak panelling was added to the ground floor room with moulded surrounds to the panels and a shallow wooden cornice. Before 1809 the floor was removed and the bay window at first floor level and the doorway between the speers were both blocked.

East Wing

The parlour (originally one of the service rooms) was panelled in the 18th century with raised and fielded oak panels with a wooden cornice above. This has been partially removed to reveal small-framed walls over which have been pasted sheets of paper painted to simulate painted wooden panelling dating from around 1580. Above these is a decorated frieze with arabesque ornament, including the Moreton coat of arms, and above that are similar sheets with paintings of the story of Susanna and the Elders with accompanying texts in Gothic script. One of the original service doors with a four-centred head can be seen in the western wall, also overlaid with painting. The sash windows retain their window seats and shutters and there is a bolection moulded fire surround of ashlar.

Between the parlour and withdrawing room is a short passage with a spiral staircase set in a square well.

The withdrawing room (also originally one of the service rooms) was greatly altered during the work of 1559. From this time dates the five-sided bay window, similar to that in the hall, the oak panelling with richly-moulded surround, and the mullioned and transomed windows in the eastern wall. The overmantel of ashlar shows terms at either side of a rectangular panel bearing the coat of arms of Elizabeth I. This is also of around 1559, but the hearth below was altered in the 18th century and has clustered shafts to either side of an ogee-arched fireplace with rococo foliage in relief above. The ceiling divided by richly-moulded timbers into square and rectangular panels probably also dates from this period.

The first floor room above the parlour has simple 17th-century panelling and a ceiling inserted in the 17th century, above which are the arch-braced trusses of the original roof. The first floor room above the withdrawing room is similarly panelled and has a similar overmantel to that of the drawing room, in this case with a brattished shelf. The bay window, canted out above the ground floor level, is blind at right and has a doorway in the right-hand angle which connects with the similarly overhanging bay window of the hall, which now forms a self-contained room but originally led to the first floor above the hall.

West Wing (around 1480)

The tea-room, kitchen and shop are formed from the range of service rooms for the hall, the shop being the original kitchen and having a massive chimney of brick with four-centred arch. There is a similar small hearth in the tea-room. The internal dividing walls here, as elsewhere in the house, are of close studding with a middle rail. The ceiling beams throughout the three rooms are chamfered with end stops, and the central beam in the tea-room is supported on wall posts.

The first floor rooms above the service rooms are approached by a spiral staircase within a rectangular well which leads off the screens passage. This leads to the upper passage which is within the hall range and was originally the gallery beyond the speers and above the screens passage. On the upper western wall is a portion of coving indicating the canopy over the high table prior to the reversal of 1480. The southern end of this passage, including the area above the porch, was divided by a wall of close studding around 1559. The room thus formed shows signs of considerable alteration, particularly in the area of the windows which appear to have been raised and canted out at the same time as the building of the five-sided bay windows by Richard Dale. Indeed early 19th-century prints of the house show the window above the porch to have had decorative fascia boards similar to those on Dale's windows, and it may well be that all are by him. The room above the shop has another of these types of window, also from internal evidence a later alteration of the original. The internal walls here as below are of close studding with a middle rail.

The room over the tea-room has a massive brick chimneypiece with brattished overmantel and gablets of moulded brick above the lateral piers. The central truss is arch braced and the two sets of purlins have cusped wind bracing.

East Wing Extension (around 1559–70)

The two rooms at ground floor level, now used as exhibition space, are divided by a close-studded wall. The northern room has a square stairwell enclosing a spiral staircase which is approached from the courtyard, and the southern room has a brick fireplace.

The chapel is of single storey height with close-studded walling and chamfered ceiling beams. It is divided from the chancel, which is narrower and of one-and-a-half storeys, by a screen of chamfered vertical timbers. The north and west walls are decorated with texts taken from the Tyndale Bible and surrounded by decorative borders filled with arabesques.

The first floor rooms above the chapel and exhibition rooms have dividing walls of chevron strutting. The southern room or prayer room has a 19th-century window at its southern end and 17th-century oak panelling to its walls which mask the wall posts and arched braces which run up to join the trusses, also hidden by the imposition of a canted ceiling. A section of close-studded walling divides the room from the upper part of the chancel into which a window or squint previously looked, but is now blocked.

South Wing (around 1570–80)

The corn store has an undefined earlier function, possibly the gate-keeper's room. On its southern wall is a massive brick chimney. In the 17th century it was subdivided by a grid of storage bins, similar to animal stalls.

The first floor rooms are reached by a spiral staircase set in a rectangular well. The guests' hall has small-framed walling and is subdivided by a wooden screen with openings to its upper section. The ceiling is divided into square compartments by moulded beams, beneath which are large consoles richly carved with spiral and leaf decoration. A doorway and a flight of steps connect this room with the prayer room of the east wing extension.

The guests' parlour is partially panelled with 17th-century oak panelling, one section of which slides back to reveal a door to a later room, built around 1600 and apparently used in the 18th or 19th century as a cheese room or store. Rooms on this floor of the south wing have lime-ash floors on oak boarding.

The second floor long gallery is of eight bays divided by wall posts supporting arched braces which rise to connect with moulded collars. The lower walls and lower portions of these braces have been encased behind 17th-century panelling, and further strengthening collar-beams and iron tie-rods have been added. Between each wall-post are windows of seven lights with transoms. The ceiling has cusped quadrant wind-bracing, and at either gable end are panels of pargetting with rinceau ornament surrounding central figures of Destiny and Fortune taken from the 1556 edition of the Castle of Knowledge by Robert Recorde.

The upper porch room off the long gallery has 17th-century panelling and a richly moulded ashlar chimneypiece with a canted arch which has tapered pilasters to either side, an arabesque frieze above, and an overmantel with a square central panel with gadrooned border enclosing the Moreton arms in relief with caryatids to either side and a band of rinceau in the frieze.

Historical Significance

Famous for its picturesque effect on calendars, Little Moreton Hall has outstanding historical interest. The layout and accommodation admirably reflect the type for a moated late-medieval courtyard manor-house arrived at through a process of gradual growth. The present form is the result of a series of building campaigns throughout the 15th and 16th centuries, but since 1600 little has been added, save for some 17th and 18th-century panelling and several 18th and 19th-century windows. Restoration has been undertaken with cautious restraint.

In addition, the building history of the house is recorded both on the fabric and in documentation. This provides the historian with both a chronicle of variations and development of building practices and, contrarily, illustrates the cautious way in which succeeding carpenters copied the patterns of their predecessors. One illustration is the moulding seen on the arch braces of the hall roof of around 1450, again in the withdrawing room ceiling of around 1559, and in the ceiling of the guests' hall of around 1600. The same desire to integrate new work with old is reflected by the applied ornament on the northern and southern faces of the west wing, probably added around 1559, to imitate the coved overhangs seen on the bay windows of that date.

The house would have very considerable interest if it only partially survived. The fact that its plan is complete and its fabric so little disturbed makes this one of the most outstanding buildings in the county.