Pitchford Hall

Pitchford Hall is a substantial country house of complex architectural history, with its main structure dating to around 1560–70 built for Adam Ottley, though it incorporates a probable 14th or 15th century core. The building underwent minor alterations in the 17th, 18th and early 19th centuries before substantial restoration, remodelling and extension in the 1870s and 1880s by architect George Devey (1820–86) for Charles Cotes. Further restoration occurred in the late 20th century.

The house is constructed in timber framing with rendered infill panels bearing red ochre colouring on the north front, probably from Devey's restoration work, set on a plinth of coursed red sandstone rubble (squared and coursed to the east). Stone slate covers the roof. The plan is E-shaped around a courtyard to the south, with a service wing and courtyard to the west. The building rises to 2 storeys and attic over a basement to the east, with jettied first floors carrying moulded bressummers. The first floors in the gable ends feature cable-moulded shafts, and the gables have cambered tie-beams with carved vine ornament. Five brick ridge stacks and three external lateral brick stacks with grey sandstone ashlar lower parts are present, plus an integral brick end stack to the west, all with clustered star-shaped brick shafts.

The timber framing consists of square panels (four from sole-plate to wall-plate) with diagonal struts forming lozenge patterns, supplemented in places by close studding beneath windows. Some close studding sections include a middle rail and short straight corner braces. Windows are of late 19th century date, constructed in wood with mullions and transoms and leaded casements.

The south front presents a 5-window recessed centre with projecting gabled wings. Two-storey gabled projections occupy the re-entrant angles, each carrying a carved quatrefoil frieze to the first-floor middle rail. The central porch is 2 storeys with a 4-centred arched doorway containing a pair of half-glazed doors. The first floor holds a cross-window and carved quatrefoil frieze to the middle rail. Above stands a probably 17th century louvred bellcote in the gable, flanked by carved scrolls, with a diagonally-placed square clock and small shaped gablet above (finial missing). A recessed garden seat with chamfered arch sits in the stone ground floor wall of a late 19th century addition to the west of the left-hand gabled wing.

The north (entrance) front shows a near-symmetrical 16th century range to the left with short gabled projections and large stacks flanking a central 2-storey gabled porch. The porch features a first-floor oriel window and chamfered ogee-arched doorway with two boarded doors, approached by eight stone steps. To the right, an asymmetrical late 19th century remodelling of a 18th or early 19th century range matches this style.

The east front displays five windows and four gables of differing sizes, with a high plinth. A central probably 18th century two-storey bow window occupies the centre, remodelled in the late 19th century.

The service wing to the west forms one side of a service courtyard, bounded by the west wing of the E-shaped part and a retaining wall. A one-storey rendered brick and slate-roofed lean-to adjoins both house walls, fitted with glazing bar sashes and incorporating a probably reset carved red sandstone shield with foliage decoration. A short open loggia with chamfered painted stone posts extends from it. The wing returns southward at its west end with a coursed sandstone rubble ground floor pierced by triple segmental arches. A corridor within contains stairs leading to a 19th century timber-framed service porch opposite the stable block, featuring a chamfered red brick ashlar plinth, stone slate roof, moulded bressummer to the gable end, moulded barge boards, and nail-studded boarded door with decorative wrought iron strap hinges.

The interior is largely 17th and late 19th century in Neo-Tudor style. The hall and dining room feature late 19th century panelling, moulded cross-beamed ceilings and Tudor-arched stone fireplaces. The drawing room retains early 17th century fittings including panelling, fluted Ionic pilasters, fluted frieze, and a moulded cross-beamed ceiling with thin ribbed plasterwork and heraldic devices in panels. A stone Tudor-arched fireplace displays carved spandrels and an open triangular-pedimented overmantel. Ground-floor rooms in the west wing of the E-shaped part contain 17th century fireplaces with elaborately decorated overmantels. The library features a fireplace dated 1623. Two mid-18th century fireplaces in bedrooms are said to be by Pritchard, featuring plain and lugged architraves, friezes with masks and carved foliage decoration, and moulded cornices. An L-shaped staircase of around 1700 displays a closed string, turned balusters and square newel post. An 18th century dog-leg staircase in the east wing has a closed string, turned balusters, ramped handrail, square newel posts and dado panelling. An early 19th century staircase in the service wing has stick balusters. Throughout the house are internal fittings of architectural interest.

Visible in the roof space over the west wing of the E-shaped part are the remains of a probably 15th century two-bay crown-post roof, including cambered tie beams and mortices.

George Devey's alterations included relocating the main entrance to the north side of the house, removing the wall that formerly enclosed the south side of the courtyard, and creating the present garden with its summer house and retaining walls. Pitchford Hall possesses a very complex architectural history that precludes detailed description within available space.