Early Origins and the Legh Family

Adlington Hall’s origins can be traced back to Saxon times, when Earl Edwin, built a hunting lodge there. After the Norman conquest, Edwin was dispossessed and his lands were granted to Hugh Lupus. The Norman Earls held Adlington for several generations until 1221 when it passed into the hands of the Crown. Henry III passed the manor of Adlington to Hugh de Corona. His daughter, Lucy, had one son, Thomas, who died childless therefore Adlington would pass to his sister Ellen. Ellen married John de Legh of Booth during the reign of Edward II and thus cementing the Legh family’s custodianship of Adlington for the next 700 years.

The Legh family were already an established family in Cheshire having been granted many estates by William the Conqueror after the Norman Conquest in 1066. From John de Legh and Ellen de Corona stem the numerous branches of the family including the Leghs of Lyme and the Leighs of Stoneleigh - both created prominent houses which still exist and are popular today.

The Leghs of Adlington originally constructed a hall on the estate possibly as early as the late 13th century. The first recorded mention of the property appears in the 1320s. At this time, the Hall was a modest establishment, far from the grand edifice it would become.

The 16th and 17th Centuries: Ambition and Uncertainty

The Tudor period saw the rise of merchant trading and agricultural prosperity in which the Leghs took advantage of the opportunities available to them. Their financial status enabled them to begin making significant improvements to Adlington Hall, with the construction of new buildings, gardens, and landscaped grounds. The Great Hall was built by Thomas Legh (1452-1519) between 1480 and 1505 and is the oldest part of the current building still in existence. This building would serve as a clear declaration of the Legh pedigree and their ambitions which are reflected most notably in the lavish exhibition of heraldry beneath the coved canopy. Although later altered in the 1740s and again in the 1960s, it places the Legh crest among the most noble families in Cheshire but also immortalises their marriages and lineage.

In the 1570s, Thomas’s great grandson, another Thomas Legh (1547-1601), began rebuilding parts of the mansion including alterations to the North wing and the addition of an East wing all surrounded by a moat. It is believed that the murals on the west and north walls of the Great Hall which depict Hector taking leave of Andromache, Andromache offering gifts to Ascanius and Venus presenting armour to Aeneas, date from this period and are rare survivals having been covered in lathe and plaster to protect them from the excesses of the Civil War. They would only be re-discovered in 1859 when a family member was playing shuttlecock against the wall and damaged the plaster exposing its hidden treasure.

This period also saw the construction of the estate’s deer park which became an important feature, not only for its aesthetic appeal but also for its utility as a hunting ground for the Legh family and their guests. This marked the beginning of Adlington’s transformation from a modest manor house into a more substantial, comfortable residence. A portrait of Thomas’s son Sir Urian Legh (1566-1627) who would have seen his father’s work in progress is in the collection (Lot 289).

Merely 60 years after Thomas Legh’s completion of Adlington, during the English Civil War (1642–1651), like many other estates, it became involved in the political upheaval of the time and its moat was put to its proper defensive use. Cheshire was a royalist stronghold, and Adlington was held for the Crown by Colonel Thomas Legh (1593-1644). The hall was besieged and occupied at various times by both royalist and parliamentarian forces. The Hall was taken on two occasions by Parliamentarian forces in 1642 and 1644 and was confiscated from Colonel Legh’s eldest son, Colonel Thomas Legh the Younger (1614-1687) and only returned in 1656 after the restoration of King Charles II. The toll this period took on the collection is evident in the double portrait of Thomas Legh the Elder and his wife Anne Gobarte (Lot 239) which was defaced by sword-slashes made by billeted parliamentarians. Thomas was appointed High Sheriff of Cheshire in 1662 in recognition of his loyalty to the Crown, a position which was held by previous and successive generations of the Legh family.

18th and 19th Centuries: The Georgian Rebuilding

The 18th century was a period of great transformation for Adlington Hall, as the estate underwent significant architectural changes under the influence of the Georgian architectural style. The final Thomas Legh (Lot 200) who had married the daughter of Sir John Maynard (Lot 199) died prematurely at Adlington in 1691, leaving the estate to his son John (Lot 201). John Legh (1668-1739), through his marriage to Lady Isabella Robartes (Lots 202, 252, 266, and 325) further enhanced the Legh pedigree. Lady Isabella (1674-1725) was the daughter of Sarah Bodville (1640-1720) and Robert Robartes, Viscount Bodmin (1634-82), son and heir to John Robartes, 1st Earl of Radnor. Upon the premature death of her father, her mother was later granted the use of the title Countess of Radnor, as she would have been had her husband survived the 1st Earl. It is believed that many of the portraits in the Adlington collection came to hang on it’s walls due to this connection and possibly coming from Llanhydrock, the Radnor seat, through Lady Isabella or a later inheritance. These include an impressive portrait of Sarah, Countess of Radnor by Sir Peter Lely and studio, in a frame surmounted by an earls coronet, (Lot 288) and an earlier Ango-Dutch School portrait of Lady Bodville and her daughters, previously and spuriously attributed to Sir Anthony Van Dyke or Robert Walker. John is credited for commissioning the famed Adlington Organ which now dominates the Great Hall. Both he and his wife were passionate about music and it is probable that it was a gift to her shortly after they arrived at Adlington. Stylistically the organ case dates from around 1700, and it is surmounted by a coat of arms celebrating the union of the Legh and Robartes family. An intriguing framed manuscript survives which details the receipt of £6,000 from the Earl of Radnor for their marriage settlement (Lot 204).

The composer Handel was a friend of the Legh family and later played the organ in 1741 or 1742. He also composed the music for a hunting song, the words of which had been written by John’s son, Charles. There is a tradition that Handel composed The Harmonious Blacksmith at the hall. Charles Legh (1697-1781) inherited Adlington on the death of his father in 1739 and with his wife Hester embarked upon an ambition programme of improvements to transform Adlington from a medium-sized Tudor manor into a palatial Georgian mansion.

Charles decided to rebuild large sections of the house in the fashionable Georgian style, which emphasized symmetry, proportion, and classical design. This included a new red brick and stone dressed south and west wing alongside the creation of an almost over-scaled stable block, both topped by pediments and cupolas carved with their names and date. However, that Charles himself valued the older part of his house is apparent by the way in which he carefully incorporated the older timber building into his new scheme, rather than demolishing it in its totality as was typical throughout this period. There is no record of Charles having employed an architect for his alterations and indeed there are certain features at Adlington which display a certain enthusiasm of an owner’s amateur hand. The result was a much grander residence, with a more imposing façade, elegant interiors, and expansive gardens. The Hall’s appearance became that of a refined country house, befitting the Legh family’s status. So proud of his alterations that he would commission the notable series of estate portraits by Thomas Bardwell (Lot 298) which illustrate views of the house from the four corners of the estate as Charles progresses around it with his dogs. Charles also immortalised his and his wife’s presence at the house by commissioning Thomas Hudson to paint their portraits and that of their son, Thomas- to confirm their influence and declare the future (Lots 226 and 227). In the event, Thomas predeceased Charles and upon his death in 1781 the direct male line died out. The property was therefore inherited by his niece Elizabeth Rowlls who took the name of Legh. This would be the first on many excursions into the female line throughout the last few centuries.

In the 19th century, the Legh family continued to enhance the estate, incorporating improvements to the grounds and gardens. It would be Charles Richard Banastre Legh (1821-1888) who would have a large impact on the collection of furniture in the commissioning and acquisition of the suite of oak furniture emblazoned with the Legh crest and made with oak from the estate (lots197, 228, 230, 234). This was probably in response to an earlier auction of contents upon an inheritance to another branch of the family tree, and the antiquarian aesthetic of the Victorian collector.

During this period, the family also expanded their agricultural interests and commercial ventures, making Adlington Hall a symbol of both wealth and social standing. The Leghs were involved in local politics, as Members of Parliament, Justice of the Peace, High Sheriffs and Deputy Lieutenants, and they maintained close relationships with prominent figures at the centre of county life. They remained popular and held in high esteem as seen in the presentation sword from the Earl of Chester’s Yeomanry (lot 193).

20th Century: Decline and Preservation

As the 20th century dawned, Adlington Hall, like many stately homes across England, faced the challenge of maintaining its large estate in the face of changing economic and social conditions. In the aftermath of World War I, the family began to sell off parts of the estate to maintain financial stability. This trend continued into the 20th century, with much of the land surrounding Adlington Hall being sold off during the interwar years. In 1929 it was decided that the building was unmanageably
large, and much of Charles Legh’s west front, incorporating a large ballroom and double height library, was demolished along with the two projecting wings at either end of the south front. These alterations were designed by Sir Hubert Worthington and fortified Adlington for future decades.

During World War II, the house was transformed, by Cynthia Combermere Legh (1896-1983) (Lots 241 and 242) into a highly valued maternity hospital for the wives of service men. Despite these financial pressures, the Legh family continued to reside at Adlington Hall until 2022 when the Legh family custodianship drew to a close.

As Adlington Hall enters a new chapter in its long history, it is important to reflect on the legacy of the Legh family and the significance of the estate to the surrounding area. The house and collection have witnessed centuries of change, from its origins as a medieval manor house to its current status as a symbol of Cheshire’s heritage. Its architecture, grounds, and collections are a testament to the evolving tastes and fortunes of the Legh family, and indeed the county of Cheshire. Although perhaps in a new guise, its historical significance and architectural beauty will undoubtedly continue to be appreciated by future generations. As the hall moves forward, its legacy will remain an integral part of Cheshire’s history, and it will continue to inspire those who live, visit and study its rich past.

This auction offers a rare opportunity to acquire pieces that have never before been seen on the market, some of which have not left the house since first deposited. Each of them speaks of the story of Adlington, and in owning a piece of this remarkable history, one becomes part of a legacy that stretches back centuries. It is a chance to capture, preserve, and honour the memory of Adlington Hall, ensuring that its rich history is never forgotten.

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Auction Details

Wednesday 22 January 2025, 10.30am GMT
Donnington Priory, Newbury, Berkshire RG14 2JE

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