Gawsworth Hall, Cheshire: Grade 1 Listen Gem
The Grade 1 listed Gawsworth Hall in Cheshire is one of England's best Tudor houses.
Wrapped in romance, intrigue and great charm, the Cheshire domain of Gawsworth has been held by only five families since Norman times.
The present house was built between 1480 and 1600, replacing an earlier Norman house.
Featuring in Sir Simon Jenkins’ historical bestseller, England’s Thousand Best Houses, the author says: “The Hall is a star, a superb example of Cheshire black and white architecture.”
Notable residents include Mary Fitton, the beautiful Dark Lady of Shakespeare’s sonnets, and maid of honour to Queen Elizabeth I.
After Mary’s fall from grace, the Fitton finances never recovered and at the end of the English Civil War, a legal battle began between Sir Charles Gerard and Alexander Fitton over the Gawsworth estates.
This was eventually settled in 1663, but events came to a head again in 1701 with the death of Fitton Gerard (the 3rd Earl of Macclesfield) who left no male heirs.
The estate was left to a niece, Lady Mohun, and contested by another niece, the Duchess of Hamilton.
The dispute culminated in one of the most famous duels in English history, when in 1712 Lord Mohun and the Duke of Hamilton met in Hyde Park and both were killed.
Mary Fitton
Their deaths re-invigorated the campaign against dueling and Queen Anne made her displeasure clear, condemning the practice at the opening of parliament the following year.
Demolition of parts of the house took place in about 1700, and it is thought by de Figueiredo and Treuherz that the west range was removed, possibly including the gatehouse.
Today, the it’s home to Elizabeth Richards and her sons Rupert and Jonathan.
Many of the original features have been lost as a consequence of the many changes that have taken place over the centuries.
But the Entrance Hall has retained its medieval shape and low ceiling.
On a tour of this ancient Tudor manor house you will see fine paintings, furniture, sculpture and stained glass.
A staircase from the east of the Guard Room leads to the Gallery on the upper floor, to the south side of which is the Solar, containing a 16th-century four-poster bed known as the Boswell bed.
The grounds are no less impressive, with a rookery, tilting ground and Elizabethan pleasure garden.
The Elizabethan pleasure gardens are listed Grade II*, and contain four Grade II listed buildings, including the gatehouse, gatepiers, and garden walls.
The hall and grounds are open to the public at advertised times, and events are organised.
During the summer months a series of concerts and other entertainment is arranged in an open-air theatre near the hall.
Tours of the house and grounds are not guided.
Instead, members of the Richards family (Elizabeth, Rupert and Jonathan) and knowledgeable staff, will be on hand to welcome you and are then stationed through the Hall should you have any questions.
An illustrated guidebook is available for the house, with a separate detailed study of the ancient pleasure garden and tilting ground by renowned archaeologist Rick Turner.
The oak-built Orchard tea room mirrors the opening hours of the house, and serves various hot and cold drinks, and locally-sourced good things.
The property has great reviews on TripAdvisor, one recent visitor said: “My first time visiting this beautiful place.
”Came to watch the shires apart from the show being absolutely brilliant the venue is stunning. I just wanted to say thank you to all the lovely staff in particular.
”I certainly will be back to visit again having a look at the grounds and the house.”
Another person added: “This is a wonderful place-a fascinating hall, beautiful building and garden, a lovely lake etc.
”The summer concert programme has continued but in the large field with a stage rather than in the usual stands.
”The concerts were all well spaced outside as a result. Take your own chairs, blankets and picnic!”
About Mary Fitton, former owner of Gasworth
Mary Fitton was an Elizabethan noblewoman who is speculated to have been the "Dark Lady" of William Shakespeare's sonnets.
Fitton was born in 1578 and belonged to a prominent family.
She was one of the maids of honor to Queen Elizabeth I and later served Anne of Denmark, the wife of King James I.
The speculation regarding Fitton's connection to Shakespeare's sonnets arises from similarities between her life and the descriptions of the "Dark Lady" in the sonnets.
However, there's no definitive evidence to confirm this theory, and the identity of the Dark Lady remains a subject of debate among scholars and historians.
Mary Fitton's life is also notable for her alleged affairs and scandals.
She was involved in a romantic affair with William Herbert, the Earl of Pembroke, which resulted in controversy and rumours at the court.
Despite the intriguing connections suggested between her life and Shakespeare's sonnets, conclusive evidence confirming Fitton as the Dark Lady remains elusive.
If you enjoyed this blog post, please follow Exploring GB on Facebook for daily travel content and inspiration.
Don’t forget to check out our latest blog posts below!
Thank you for visiting Exploring GB.
