Inside Walton Hall (Walton Gardens, Warrington) - Photo's taken on the Open Day

[Dizzy]

Here are some photo's I took at the Waton Hall Open Day on Sunday 2 July 2011.

 

Rarely open to the public these days (unless of course you get married or hold a conference there). So glad that it wasn't palmed off to Contessa and here's hoping the Council will now make better use of our 'Jewel in The Crown' as they keep calling it. The main building certainly seems to be in good condition and well looked after although not ustilised to it;s full potential.

 

Rather impressive but I would still like to know WHERE all the fine furniture and other artefacts have gone that were in it when I went round many years ago as it now seems very BARE !!!

 

Anyway here are some photos... feel free to copy for you own personal use of course as after all it IS a PUBLIC BUILDING and PARK

 

I'll be uploading picture in stages and seperate posts as there are quite a lot ... sorry

[Dizzy]

Tiled floor in porch as you enter the Hall

 

 

The Main Entrance Area

 

 

 

 

Looking from bottom of the stairs out through main entrance area

 

 

[Dizzy]

Going upstairs..

 

 

Artwork on split stair walls

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ceiling above stairs

 

[Dizzy]

Stained Glass windows as you go up the stairs.... I wonder who the two little 'ghostly' girls are.. any ideas?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Dizzy]

The fireplace in the large room on the ground floor which used to be the cafe some years ago, the doors open onto the grassed area near the bandstand.

 

 

 

Above the fireplace and inlaid into the wall rather high up. A work by the Warrington born sculputureJ Warrington Wood It's about 5+ feet long (from memeory) and more info about the local sculpture who them moved to Rome can be found under the topic 'Where in Warrington is This'

 

 

 

 

The other end of the same room.. (if the curtain and carpet on the botton left looks a bit odd I had to airbrush half a woman and her bright blue swinging carrier bag out of the photo

 

[Dizzy]

The rather stunning piano.. but I can't remember which room this is in... it wasn't the above room though

 

 

 

[Dizzy]

One of the rather bare upstairs rooms apart from some pictures on the walls.

 

 

The old well worn and warped table in the bottom right of the above photo..I loke warped things

 

 

Another rather bare upstairs room overloking the grassed area and bandstand. A nice large cupboard and some photo's on the walls.

Now used for weddings / conferences I believe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A view from one of the lovely windows in the room. looking out over the new bandstand .. (all the sunbathers have been air brushed out to protect them from any embarrasment)

 

[Dizzy]

Some more to follow in a while....

[Peter T]

You're getting good at this.

[Dizzy]

I clearly need a part time job Peter as too much 'photo' time on my hands again today

 

Here are some more...

 

The huge fireplace and surround situated in the room that is now the bar area

 

 

and the impressive fireplace in the main entrance area

 

[Dizzy]

Please note that obviously the following uploads are photos taken by me on the open day various photos/images displayed within the Hall... so just incase anyone in authority has any issues with me taking these and personally uploading them for all to see and enjoy on here please contact me directly though the forum and I am happy to discuss and remove if deemed necessary. There were no signs to say taking photos of these was not allowed nor were there any copyright notifications... thanks

 

Everyone else if you do copy/save and of these please only do so for your own personal use, thanks

 

Some of the Greenall Family photos and other images dotted around the Hall in various locations

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lady Daresbury in her State Robes worn for the coronation of King George VI in 1937 - donated by Mr Roy Turner son of the Mr Reg Turner who was the stud Groom for the Daresbury family intil 1939

 

 

 

[Dizzy]

Same comments as above re the taking of and the use of these images, thanks

 

Edward Greenall (later 2nd Lord Daresbury) in Lifeguard Uniform c 1938 - Donated by Mr Peter?? PR ? (sorry cant read the rest due to light reflection)

 

 

 

Lady Daresbury on 'Cobra Castle' 1933. This horse was previously owned by her late son Gilbert when in the Lifeguards. Cobra was a veteran of WW1 and bore shrapnel scars - original photo donated by Mr Roy Turner, whos father Reg Turner was the Stud Groom for the Daresbury Family until 1939.

 

 

 

Lord and Lady Daresbury (sorry can't read the rest)- original photo donated by Mr Roy Turner, whos father Reg Turner was the Stud Groom for the Daresbury Family until 1939.

 

[algy]

Well done! Dizz, great photos and good information to go with them, no joking, I am really impressed.

[Dizzy]

Thanks Algy and glad you enjoyed them

 

I decided to upload them all as when there was talk about it going I searched the web and I couldn't find any internal images of Walton Hall anywhere. The only ones I found were a few on the council's wedding brochure etc and it looked a bit grotty to be honest.

 

So now hopefully in future people will find my pictures and can see what it is really like inside if ever they look too.

 

I just hope they don't attract any similar interest from developers like the other lot EEK !!

 

Anyway a few more to come soon but only of one of the outer buildings and small courtyard behind the hall... they left the gate unlocked so I happened to wander in by accident

 

I was told it was 'probably' the laundrette but aparently there was a bucher in there too at one point with meat hanging from the bars in the roof.

 

A shame the council haven't done more with that area as it's really nice until you walk round the back and most of it looks like it's falling down.

 

Anyway off to bed now so tomorrow maybe.....