Handforth Hall

Handforth Hall is a timber-framed manor house spanning five bays across two storeys, displaying the characteristic black and white exterior typical of the period. Medieval-style gardens with balustrated fences, arbours, and geometric patterns surround the structure.

Sir Urian Brereton commissioned this building in 1562, establishing a family residence that would influence the region's architecture for generations. His great-grandson Sir William Brereton later held a commanding position with Parliamentary forces during the English Civil War.

The carved inscription above the porch tells of the marriage between Urian Brereton and Margaret Handford, linking two prominent families together. This personal record carved into the building has survived centuries as a permanent family document.

The building sits in an accessible location in Handforth, allowing visitors to explore both the manor house and its gardens in a single visit. Its well-preserved state provides clear views of Tudor-era craftsmanship, building techniques, and the garden design principles of the period.

The gardens follow an intricate geometric layout with nested elements typical of 16th-century formal design. This preserved combination of structured forms and period features makes it a rare surviving example of garden craftsmanship from that era.