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Lawton Hall


11 Sep 04

11 Sep 04

8 Sep 04
6 Sep 04

This 17th century hall is located at Church Lawton, about 3 miles east of Alsager.

History Tour: Next Location

A restoration has recently been completed by Gleeson Homes including a conversion into nine luxury apartments.
 
The four pictures opposite were kindly sent in by Dennis Dunn, a resident of one of the lakeside houses.
Lawton Hall Lake
Photo: Jason Massey
Lawton Hall Lake - winter
28 Dec 00
Behind the Hall is a beautiful lake.

 

Lawton Hall
21 Dec 97
Lawton Hall - winter
28 Dec 00

 

Some years ago the main building with its fine interior were sadly destroyed by fire.
Lawton Hall

Lawton Hall

Lawton Hall

Lawton Hall


(See also photo2   photo3   photo4
kindly sent in by Jason Massey)  
 
 
The Hall is presently owned by the
Rural Buildings Preservation Trust.
(See letter from John Lawton below)
Lawton Hall Interior Lawton Hall Interior Lawton Hall Interior The interior was badly damaged.
Here are some letters
from people interested in the Hall.

See also Student Friends
bulletin board for ex-pupils.

Lawton Hall before the fire
Photo: M.F. Lawton
Information on the Lawton Family and the battle to restore the hall can be found on the Realm of Lawton run by Matthew Frederick Lawton who kindly provided this picture taken before the fire.

Letter from John Lawton (26 Feb 01)

I came across your website about Lawton Hall and would like to correct some erroneous information.

I was up until about 18months ago the owner of Lawton Hall it having been passed to me by my father approx. 10years ago. It was never sold to property developers.

The Hall and surrounding estate has been in the ownership of the Lawton Family since it's construction. The land on which the Hall is sited has been owned by the Lawton family (except for the odd political/religious hiatus) for many centuries and certainly back to the 12th Century.

Sadly the school closed due to financial difficulties and I have been trying since then to put in place a scheme, firstly for the preservation and more recently for the restoration of the Hall. This I am delighted to say has now been achieved through the sale of the Hall (for £1!) to the Rural Buildings Preservation Trust.

The RBPT are a charitable trust with the objective of saving historic buildings. They have succeeded where others have failed in getting permission for a limited enabling development that will enable the restoration of the Hall. Almost everyone should gain from this scheme although I hastened to add I personally only have significant financial loss and many sleepless nights, I will gain from seeing my family home put back on the map and not lost forever like so many other similar buildings.

The current sad state of the Hall is I am afraid evidence of the hopeless planning system in the UK. It is unfair to blame local planning officers, although I do feel they are partially to blame. The real problem lies in the need to balance the desire of many to maintain historic buildings, with the need to protect the countryside from inappropriate and unnecessary development. To do this needs the wisdom of Solomon and the patience of a Saint! These qualities are not found in many people.

I am delighted that Lawton Hall will now be restored and put to some use. I am very upset that the Hall had to deteriorate to such an appalling condition leading to the loss of it's unique interior. I am concerned that the Church Lawton community has had to put up with all the problems that the derelict Building has brought and I hope that this will now be brought to an end with the Hall being restored/rebuilt.

John Lawton


N.B. Para 2 refers to a previous statement on this page which has now been deleted.

Last Update: 25 Oct 04

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