Recollections of a Busy Life: Being the Reminiscences of a Liverpool Merchant 1840-1910Forwood, William Bower, Sir
History
Recollections of a Busy Life: Being the Reminiscences of a Liverpool Merchant 1840-1910
Forwood, William Bower, Sir
Forwood, William Bower, Sir, 1840-1928; Merchants -- England -- Liverpool -- Biography
Bromborough Hall became our residence in 1898. It is a very old house
built in 1617, but enlarged several times since, with the result that
the exterior, though quaint, is not pleasing--partly Georgian and partly
an old English homestead; it cannot be said to have been built in any
style of architecture. Fortunately, the entire south front is wreathed
with wisteria, jasmine and clematis, and this makes it harmonise with
the charming old Dutch garden which stretches out before it. The
interior is rambling, but possesses some interesting features. The hall
has a stone staircase which winds round the walls as in old Georgian
houses. It also has a capacious lounge, a minstrel gallery, and a quaint
old oak chimney-piece. It opens out into an alcove which forms a very
pleasant resort in summer; and beyond again is the Dutch garden, which
is bright and gay in spring with tulips and in summer with begonias and
roses. We have a ghost, which however we have never seen, and a priest's
room with a cupboard carved in stone for the chalice and patten. The
charms of Bromborough Hall are the gardens, which cover about thirteen
acres and contain probably the most extensive lawns and the largest
trees in Wirral. The outlook from the grounds across the river Mersey is
extensive and very lovely. The park is beautifully planted with copses
and groups of trees, and being 500 acres in extent, it forms a very
attractive feature. We have a walk three miles in length which passes
through the woods down to the river, then along the river bank above the
red sandstone cliffs, which at this point margin the river, and back
through the woods, which form our boundary on the south.
[Illustration: BROMBOROUGH HALL, GARDEN FRONT.]
Although the present house dates back only to 1617, a Bromborough Hall
has existed since the year 1100; this former hall probably stood in the
park, as there are clear indications of a moated grange having existed
there. The present house was built by a Bridgeman, who became chancellor
of the diocese, one of his sons becoming Bishop of Chester, when for a
time the hall was the bishop's palace. Another son was made Lord
Bradford. The hall afterwards passed into the hands of the Mainwaring
family, who for 150 years were the squire rectors of the parish. The
family is now represented by Mr. E. Kynaston Mainwaring, of Oteley Park,
Salop.
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