Moreton Hall

According to the National Trust, which maintains the property, Little Moreton Hall is Britain's most famous timber-framed house. It is technically in our neighbourhood, where timber-framed buildings abound, as they do in nearby Chester.

Originally built in the mid-15th century by the Moreton family, who were prosperous local farmers, the house was extended between 1570 and 1580 to keep up with contemporary Elizabethan tastes. Curious features include the moat, where Kassie and I enjoyed feeding the ducks and fish; the cobbled courtyard; the variety of rooms within, some large such as the central hall, others no bigger than cupboards; the reconstructed Elizabethan knot garden, visible in the photo at left; and particularly the drunken look of the timbered facade, due in large part to the Long Gallery, which was added during the extension described above, giving the Hall a crooked, top-heavy look.

Accompanied By: Robert and Agnes Kardos
Date of Our Last Visit: May 2002