The Great Hall

The Great Hall is the base from which the Adlington Hall grew and developed, and still sits at the heart of the home. It was completed in 1505 and is a stunning example of medieval craftsmanship at its best. Some of our notable features include:

The Roof

The fine hammer-beam roof features beautifully-carved and moulded roof arches, decorated with angels bearing armorial shields.

The Walls

The walls of The Great Hall are testament to our rich history and fine architecture. The Hall’s east wall is supported by petrified oak trees, the last remnants of the original Saxon hunting lodge and the north and west walls are decorated with large, richly-coloured murals. Family tradition has it that these were painted in the late 16th or early 17th century, and covered over for protection during the Civil War. Interestingly, they were only re-discovered in 1859, by a family member who damaged the plaster whilst knocking a shuttlecock against the wall!

The Windows

When you visit, you’ll notice that the hall is lit by unusually tall windows. In fact, the largest is dated 1480 and towers nearly sixteen feet tall. It underwent restoration work back in 2002 where pane by pane, a beautiful array of subtle colours were revealed.

The Canopy

At the west end of the hall is an elaborate canopy – a rare wooden version of a medieval cloth of estate. A cloth of estate, draped from the roof, was a way of enhancing the importance of the Lord of the Manor and his company as they sat at high table.

The Adlington Hall canopy is said to be the finest in England and is divided into sixty panels, separated by moulded oak ribs. In the panels are paintings of the shields of the sixty chief Cheshire families of the time; above these are the heraldic insignia of the seven Norman Earls of Chester and the eight Barons. Sat above these, see if you can spot the shields of England, the Prince of Wales, and Scotland.