Back in the summer Hubby and I visited Little Morton Hall in Cheshire. It certainly didn't look little, but it is wonky. It was William Moreton who began building the hall in 1504 but it took 100 years to complete.
During the Civil War the area was dominated by the Parliamentarians but William Moreton III and his son Edward were Royalists and imprisoned. His daughters rented the house at a huge cost from the government resulting in huge debts,.
After the family died the house was rented by relatives and latterly by tenant farmers. The house therefore did not have any changes made and is the reason for its survival in its Tudor splendour.
From the 1880s the house was rented by the Moreton's to Thomas and Ann Dale, and their 14 children. The Hall was a working farm but from 1913 the house was opened to the public for tours.
Elizabeth Moreton inherited the Hall in her later life and was a strong religious person. She was very concerned about the state of the Hall and installed the metal tie rods in the Long Gallery a d restored much of the Chapel where her Bible is on display.
Everywhere around the house there is evidence of how this amazing house was built. In the Long Gallery there are oak pegs in the roof battens to hold the rafters. The weight of this upper extension, estimated at 32 tons, is probably the cause of the house's subsidence.
We had a lovely visit to this Tudor Hall. As a National Trust property we of course also enjoyed a delicious cream tea accompanied by quite a few hopeful visitors.
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