Tatton Park

One of the premier stately homes of Cheshire (and indeed of all England), Tatton Park offers not one but two houses to visit. The first is a Tudor Old Hall, begun in 1520 by Sir Richard Brereton, and later purchased by Sir Thomas Egerton, who built the nearby mansion. Egerton was later to become Lord Chancellor of England. The Old Hall was converted into cottages in the 17th century, and it now hosts regular educational programs and events such as Shakespeare plays.

The present mansion was begun in Greek Revival style in 1774. The interior is replete with art gathered by the Egerton family over the course of 200 years at Tatton. Many of the furniture pieces were created especially for the house by the well-known cabinet makers, Gillows of Lancaster.

A guided tour takes visitors from the neo-classical Entrance, through the Music Room, Drawing Room, Library, and Dining Room, then on to ornate family quarters and finally a visit to the "below stairs" world of the family servants. Of special note is the cellar railway for carrying coal!

GARDENS
The Egerton family did not remodel their old gardens when a new garden style took their fancy; instead they enclosed more parkland to build a new garden space! Thuis the gardens at Tatton are a curious mix of styles from varying time periods, each with its own peculiar charm. There is a walled kitchen garden, beech maze, conservatory (1818), a fernery designed by Joseph Paxton, architect of the Crystal Palace, and an Italian garden. In addition there is a rose garden, topiary, Leech Pool, and Japanese Garden.