Bache Hall is constructed in red brick with painted ashlar dressings and a slate roof. It stands on a painted chamfered plinth. The building is in two storeys with attics. Its southeast elevation has a slightly projecting central portion. At the top of the central portion is a casement window and a pediment. The other windows on this elevation are sashes. On this side of the house is a stone porch with Doric pilasters, between which are round arches, and has a moulded entablature. The southwest front contains two two-storey bow windows. On the northeast side is a 19th-century three-storey stuccoed wing with casement windows, and a 20th-century brick wing, also in three storeys.
It is pleasantly situated on a gentle rise, at one time environed with trees. Below the house is a rocky valley with Bache Brook running through. The estate had pleasant gardens, was well planted, with a waterfall and bridge over the brook.
The older property of Bache is listed as having a Medieval moat, but there is no trace of it but the name Moat Field is recorded on the tithe map of 1844. The site is now covered by modern houses.
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| The grounds of Bache Hall 1872 |
Bache Hall was rebuilt after the old house was demolished during the 1643 – 1646 siege of Chester in the Civil War, when it was garrisoned by Parliamentary troops. The first references to the various families who have held the manor start in the 13th century with several people with Bache as a surname. It is probable that they did represent the owners but it’s not definite. But by the 14th century the manor was held by the Donecaster family who had obtained land from families in Upton during the reign of Edward II. The much respected Chantrell family came next and they held the manor from the Abbot and Convent of St Werburghs and after the reformation from the Dean and Chapter.
Historic England Official Listing 2019
Historic England Official Listing 2019
Small country house, now hospital beauty centre. c. 1720, with early C19 and late C19 additions and alterations. Converted C20. Red brick with painted ashlar dressings and slate roof. Painted chamfered plinth. First floor cill band. Plain brick parapet with ashlar coping. 2 storey plus attics. South-east elevation 5 windows with slightly projecting centre. Edwardian stone porch with Doric pilasters and round arches between, topped with deeply moulded entablature. Inner doorway has double panels doors with side lights. Either side 2 glazing bar sashes with painted cill band, those to left C20 replacements without brick lintels. Above central French doors with over light leading to porch balcony, to right 2 glazing bar sashes and to left a small Edwardian sash and a C20 sash beyond without a brick lintel. Central projection has painted attic floor topped with pediment and 2-light casement window. South-west front has central 2 storey bowed window, with large tripartite glazing bar sash window and above 2 small glazing bar sashes. To right 2 storey canted bay window with 3 glazing bar sashes to each floor, and to left a large tripartite glazing bar sash and above 2 smaller glazing bar sashes. North-east elevation has 3 storey stuccoed early C19 wing with C20 replacement casement windows and to right a brick 3 storey Edwardian wing with glazing bar sashes. INTERIOR has early C18 single flight and return staircase in main entrance hall. Stair has elaborately carved tread ends, 2 turned balusters per tread, with turned newels and ramped and moulded handrail. Staircase hall has original 6 panel doors in panelled surrounds and dentilated plaster coving. Most of remaining rooms retain panelled shutters, good panelled doors and panelled doorcases, some rooms with moulded plaster coving. First floor south-west room retains dado panelling and moulded doorcase.
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| Bache Hall, Chester, England |
In 1606 Bache Hall was purchased by the Edward Whitby, who in 1613 was chosen as Recorder of Chester. Edward Whitby's father Robert was the mayor of Chester. In 1614, Edward was elected Member of Parliament for Chester. There are records In St. Oswald's Church of the baptisms of children of the family in 1654 and 1655, he was one of several who lost their houses around the periphery of the city. Blacon, Flookersbrook and Hoole halls were all lost, but Upton Hall, just across the fields, was garrisoned by Colonel Bereton and even visited by Cromwell himself and faired much better.
From the Whitby’s the estate passed partly by purchase and partly by marriage to the Cromptons, On 20th April, 1709 Robert Crompton was appointed one of the auditors at a meeting of the Parishioners of St. Oswald's to appoint those who should "serve the offices in the said parish." About 1716 the manor passed via an heiress of the Cromptons to the Morgans of Golden Grove in Flintshire, Flintshire. Descendents of the Crompton family lived at The Oaks, Upton, for several years prior to 1934, until they sold it to Samuel James Brodhurst of Chester in the 1770s.
From the Whitby’s the estate passed partly by purchase and partly by marriage to the Cromptons, On 20th April, 1709 Robert Crompton was appointed one of the auditors at a meeting of the Parishioners of St. Oswald's to appoint those who should "serve the offices in the said parish." About 1716 the manor passed via an heiress of the Cromptons to the Morgans of Golden Grove in Flintshire, Flintshire. Descendents of the Crompton family lived at The Oaks, Upton, for several years prior to 1934, until they sold it to Samuel James Brodhurst of Chester in the 1770s.
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| Bridge across Bache Brook |
The property descended successively to various members of his family who took the name of Brodhurst. The property descended successfully to various members of his family. One was a soldier General Jenks, who as part of the will terms had to change his name from Jenks to Brodhurst (sometimes listed as Broadhurst).
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| Bache Hall had beautiful gardens |
In 1874 Samuel Broadhurst Hill sold the estate to the Hudson family. Various claimants, who were descendants of the first Brodhurst, appeared, and there were disputes as to the ownership of the property. One in 1877 actually cut down the gate at Bache Hall, but never appeared to follow this up with any further claims; having made his protest, he retired. The Broadhursts, who owned Bache Hall during the greater part of the nineteenth century did not reside there for any length of time, and let the estate to various tenants. The Lunatic Asylum, lying on land between Bache and Upton Halls, was established in 1829.
In 1875 Robert Spear Hudson settled at Bache Hall. During the time he lived there, he greatly extended and, in Victorian terms, improved the property in its structure, farm and pleasure grounds, including adding an Italianate porch. After Robert died in 1884 his wife, Emily Gilroy, lived at Bache until her death in 1901.
In 1875 Robert Spear Hudson settled at Bache Hall. During the time he lived there, he greatly extended and, in Victorian terms, improved the property in its structure, farm and pleasure grounds, including adding an Italianate porch. After Robert died in 1884 his wife, Emily Gilroy, lived at Bache until her death in 1901.
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Emily Frances Evangeline L'Estrange far left, Emily Hudson (nee Gilroy), middle,
with niece Mary Anne Henderson right, unknown child sitting inside Bache Hall c1900 "Aunt Emily L'Estrange , Aunt Emily Hudson, Aunt Minnie" |
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Emily Frances Evangeline L'Estrange far left, Emily Hudson (nee Gilroy), middle,
with niece Mary Anne Henderson right, unknown child sitting inside Bache Hall c1900  with niece Mary Anne Henderson right, unknown child sitting inside Bache Hall c1900 John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland |
Bache Hall and land was then tenanted by Major John Macgillicuddy 1855-1930, who was one of the founders of the Bache Golf Club. John was married to Emily Jane Hudson 1859-1942, the daughter of Robert Spear Hudson and his first wife Mary Bell 1832-1864.
Then in 1911 Bache Hall was bought by the Mental Home. Not only did the hospital buy Bache Hall in 1911 it has also expanded to absorb large portions of the Bache township into its complex and thereby loosing part of its boundary. It was used as a Nurses' Home for many years until 1939 when a Nurses’ Home was built in the grounds. The hall is currently (1919) under major reconstruction by Chester College as it is to be a school of midwifery and this brings Bache Hall into the 21st century.
In 1973 Liverpool Road, from the Dale down to the Bache was widened and made into a duel carriageway. Bache Hall Lodge and Bache Cottage were demolished to accommodate the changes.
Apart from the northbound carriageway of Liverpool Road no roads survive in Bache, Mill Lane from Upton clearly heads for the former hall site and water mill, perhaps that this was all that was needed.
In the 1980’s a new road connecting Liverpool Road with Parkgate Road was constructed, the line of Countess Way cuts through the length of the lawn of the hall and lengths of the brook were straightened or re-routed in underground drains which required landfill and culverting of the stream. The wooden bank to the south of the brook remains as a rare example of natural wooded banked area in today's suburban Chester landscape. This work has finally called an end to Bache Hall estate in its previously recognised form. Nothing of this once beautiful garden survives but the map of 1872 shows the estate in its former glory.
The grounds of Bache Hall have been the scene of many festivities. Flower shows are remembered by many residents in the Bache. The ravine lent Itself to the making of a very picturesque scene with fairy lights in the trees and over a little bridge put across Flookersbrook, a replica of the Willow Pattern plate. Today there are new houses in the grounds leading to the Hall, known as the Bache Hall Estate.
Bache Hall was designated as a Grade II listed building on 17 January 2001. It is the only listed building in the civil parish of Bache. Grade II is the lowest of the three grades, and contains "buildings of national importance and special interest".
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| Emily Hudson (bee Gilroy), second wife of Robert Spear Hudson, Bache Hall, Chester, England c1900 |
In 1973 Liverpool Road, from the Dale down to the Bache was widened and made into a duel carriageway. Bache Hall Lodge and Bache Cottage were demolished to accommodate the changes.
Apart from the northbound carriageway of Liverpool Road no roads survive in Bache, Mill Lane from Upton clearly heads for the former hall site and water mill, perhaps that this was all that was needed.
In the 1980’s a new road connecting Liverpool Road with Parkgate Road was constructed, the line of Countess Way cuts through the length of the lawn of the hall and lengths of the brook were straightened or re-routed in underground drains which required landfill and culverting of the stream. The wooden bank to the south of the brook remains as a rare example of natural wooded banked area in today's suburban Chester landscape. This work has finally called an end to Bache Hall estate in its previously recognised form. Nothing of this once beautiful garden survives but the map of 1872 shows the estate in its former glory.
The grounds of Bache Hall have been the scene of many festivities. Flower shows are remembered by many residents in the Bache. The ravine lent Itself to the making of a very picturesque scene with fairy lights in the trees and over a little bridge put across Flookersbrook, a replica of the Willow Pattern plate. Today there are new houses in the grounds leading to the Hall, known as the Bache Hall Estate.
Bache Hall was designated as a Grade II listed building on 17 January 2001. It is the only listed building in the civil parish of Bache. Grade II is the lowest of the three grades, and contains "buildings of national importance and special interest".
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| The Henderson sisters, Mary Ann (Minnie) and Frances Mary (Fanny) seated right, standing left Elizabeth Esplain L'Estrange, Emily Francis L'Estrange, Robert Augustus Henry L'Estrange, baby Louis Anita Evelyn L'Estrange, Aunt Nita ( Anita Hoff ), Francis Mary Henderson children Frederick Robert L'Estrange and his sister Mary Elizabeth L'Estrange, Bache Hall 1897  The Henderson sisters, Mary Ann seated left and Frances Mary seated right standing left Elizabeth Esplain L'Estrange, Emily Francis L'Estrange, Aunt Nita ( Anita Hoff ) with baby Louis Anita Evelyn L'Estrange, Robert Augustus Henry L'Estrange standing right children Frederick Robert L'Estrange and his sister Mary Elizabeth L'Estrange, Bache Hall 1897 "L'Estrange family Bache Hall, Chester, England including Frances Mary L'Estrange & Aunt Minnie Henderson". |
 | Bache Hall Grounds Grade II Listed |
Source
- https://www.parksandgardens.org/places/bache-hall
- https://chester.shoutwiki.com/wiki/Bache
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bache_Hall
- https://www.bonzle.com/pictures-over-time/pictures-taken-in-1890/page-1/australian-states-and-territories/size-4/picture-zftt3r2l/queensland/women-from-the-alder-family-sitting-in-their-parlour-1890s
- https://digitalcollections.qut.edu.au/4964/
- https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1390622
- https://digitalcollections.qut.edu.au/view/sub-collections/3727/Robert_Augustus_Henry_L=27Estrange_-_Originals_-_Family_Photographs.html
- John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland Collection reference: API-61 Alder Family Photographs Image number: 39121, 39113 <http://bishop.slq.qld.gov.au>
