Oakfield (Headquarters Of Chester Zoo)

SJ 47 SW UPTON-BY-CHESTER C.P. CAUGHALL ROAD (West Side)

2/38 Oakfield (Headquarters of Chester Zoo).

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GV II

Formerly large house, now offices and restaurant: short wing c1885 by E A Ould, remainder rebuilt 1892 by H Beswick, all for B Chaffers Roberts, some C20 alterations. English garden wall bond Ruabon brick with blue brick diapering and red sandstone dressings. Welsh slate roof and 4 brick chimneys with Tudor-style stacks. 2 and 2½-storey, 4-bay west front. Left 2 bays are earlier parts with canted, castellated 2-storey bay window with mullioned and transomed windows in coped and finialled dormers above. To right is a projecting gabled porch with shaped and coped gable with a griffin finial. Doorcase with basket-arched head. Similar windows to remainder but with basket-arched and ogee heads to the lights. Longer south garden front in similar style of 3 different projecting coped gabled masses. Interior: Boardroom with fielded mahogany panelling and carved wooden frieze. Wooden fireplace flanked by fluted pilasters and egg and dart moulding. Some stained glass in the style of Burne Jones. Staircase removed but arcade and balustrading survive upstairs. Room to left of hall has fielded mahogany panelling divided by pilasters. Pedimented doorcase with acanthus frieze. Panelled ceiling and massive chimney breast with motto on bressumer and on Tudor-style stone fireplace with De Morgan tiles.

The estate was bought by George Mottershead in 1930 to house his private animal collection which with the founding of the North of England Zoological Society in 1934 led to the present zoo, now the second largest in Britain.

Listing NGR: SJ4140470158