Bramhall Visitor Centre

About Bramhall

A Thousand Years of History

Bramall Hall is one of Cheshire's grandest black and white timber-framed buildings. It is a manor house built in the traditional local style.

Before the Norman conquest in 1066, Bramall was held as two separate manors, owned by two Saxon freeman - Brun and Hacun. A few years later, William the Conqueror subdued the North West of England and he gave both parts of the manor land to Hamon de Masci, the first Baron of Dunham Massey who was one of his followers. The Bramall land was probably a waste having been devastated during William the Conqueror's harsh sub dual of the North West of England. During the next 800 years three families owned the estate: The Massey's, the de Bromale's and the Davenport's.

The manor passed from the second Baron of Dunham Massey to one of his kinsmen, who took his name from the land which he acquired and became Mathew de Bromale. It was customary at that time for lords to take on the local name. The Bromales remained as Lords of the Manor until the late 14th century, when Geoffrey de Bromale died. After his death the estate passed to his daughter Alice, who was married to John de Davenport. The descendants of John and Alice davenport lived at Bramall Hall for 500 years.

The Manor house has many interesting features. The Great Hall was the centre of the household during the middle ages where everyone would gather. The Banqueting Room was built during the early 15th century and was used as a billiard room by the 19th century. There is also a Chapel and a Ballroom.

BRAMHALL PARK

- provides a beautiful landscape setting for the Hall. The house is set in 70 acres of parkland, which have been landscaped in the style of Capability Brown. the park features two lakes, woodland walks and gardens. Today, few clues to the park's ancient history remain. In Saxon times, it formed part of the land held as two manors.

THE ORIGINS OF THE NAME

The area around Bramall Hall is known as Bramhall and there has been much controversy over the correct spelling of the name of the Hall which is spelt without the 'h'. In the Doomsday book the manor of Bramall is called Bramale, a name which comes from the old English words 'brom' meaning broom and 'halh' meaning secret place, generally near water. The current name was chosen as the spelling closest to this Doomsday version. It was favoured both by the Hall's Victorian owner. Charles Nevill, and by Hazel Grove and Bramhall Urban District Council who took over the Hall in 1935.

The Hall and Park are open to the public and there are guided tours as well as a souvenir shop.