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Daresbury Lane, WARRINGTON, WA4 4AQ

The Grade II* listed building dates back from 1759. Now offices but once the seat of Lord Daresbury.

Something of a forgotten and somewhat lost place, Daresbury Hall is a 350-acre site that stands 10 minutes away from South Warrington. Daresbury village itself is known as being the birthplace of Lewis Carroll. The hall was built back in 1759 where for most of its life it stood as a Georgian stately home. For a time it was home to Lord Daresbury and his family as part of the original Greenall brewery family estate in its prime, now known as the De Vere Group. Thereafter, during World War 2 the estate was converted to be used as a military hospital, and the Lewis Carroll unit once represented the area's local history through medical service. After the war the undoubted utility of the site meant that it was then sold to the national Spastics Society, now known as 'Scope', and used as both a care home and school, which is the reason why the estate can be seen to have many corresponding structures such as the row of 'digs' outhouse buildings and the caretaker's bungalow which were evidently built not according to the dexterity of the original architecture as one might have hoped. Many years after the Spastics Society had vacated the premises, it was sold to a millionaire bachelor for a sizeable fee and the manor returned to its former use as a stately home. But sadly, owing to poor maintenance following his death the buildings have fallen into a state of disrepair and stand uninhabitable. Word has it that the manor stood exactly as the owner had left it for some time, and no possessions were handed forward until the building was emptied following years of vandalism. To the present date Daresbury Hall has been designated by English Heritage as a grade II listed building and seeks planning permission to be restored, but upon visiting the site one can only imagine the mammoth task this would be. Of all the surrounding buildings, the majority would need demolishing, especially the Lewis Carroll unit and the Spastics Society housing which have both become something of an eyesore.

Looking towards All Saints' Church and Daresbury Laboratory.