Pulford Hall

Pulford Hall and the Burganey Family

The Hall regretfully no longer exists. In the past it is thought that it was a building of some stature and the two families who are known to have lived there to have held a much respected position in the Parish, especially the Burganey Family.

Starting with Anthony Burganey in the 17th century, the Burganey family lived in Pulford for almost 250 years, although there were already Burganeys living in Dodleston. There are three Burganey tombstones to be seen in the Churchyard. It is known from old records of the family that Anthony Burganey who died in 1610 at Pulford, came from Wootton Underwood, Buckinghamshire, described in a deed of 1587. It can be assumed that he came to Pulford Hall around 1600. It is not known if he built Pulford Hall but there is no mention of it to be found before the Burganey family.

The last surviving male heir was John Burganey who was killed in action in Ireland in 1798 at the age of 23. His sister, Anne Burganey, continued to live in the family home, but remained unmarried and died in 1847.

The hall has been described as being built of stone and it stood in Pulford Park.

The cottages, now known as Park Cottages, were converted from the stables and saddle room of Pulford Hall in 1914. At that time, as described by Mr Charlie Gibson, who worked on the conversion, the old hall building sandstone blocks were scattered over an area of the Park. Part of the gardens and the shrubbery were still there. In fact, to this day, there is an old yew tree standing in Park Cottages garden which must have been part of the Hall garden.

An ha-ha separated the garden from the field and is still there and an indentation in the Park clearly shows the boundary of what was called the Pleasure Grounds. Mr Charlie Gibson remembered the boundary still being there when he was working on the cottages. He also told a lovely story of the Pulford sports when his mother and Mrs Wynn took part in the race to ‘catch the greasy pig’. Apparently, a previously greased little pig was released and all those who entered the race, chased it. The one to catch it, of course, was the winner and kept it to fatten it for the winter! Mrs Gibson was the winner on this occasion and she caught it when it ran into Pulford Hall’s shrubbery.

Pulford Hall is mentioned on the 1837 Tithe map (see Cheshire Tithe Maps Online) with details of the property and lands owned by the Burganey family. It can be clearly seen on this map that Ironhouse Farm was the home farm for the Hall. Anne Burganey is named as both landowner and occupier of areas A1 to A10. A1 is described as ‘Hall Buildings Yards Gardens and Pleasure Grounds’.

There is an old Ordnance Survey map (1910) showing the drive beginning at the gateway into the Chaloner family’s field, passing by the original Ironhouse and bending towards the cottages and joining the old drive to the Dodleston Lane gate.

Pulford Hall Timeline

1609

Pulford Hall built possibly by Anthony Burganey and lived in by the Burganey's for the next 250 years.

1794

John Burganey, the last male heir of the Burganey family joined the Ancient British Fencible Cavalry, a local force raised by Sir Watkin Williams Wynn, as Cornet in March 1794.

1798

John Burganey, now a Captain, was killed on 30 May 1798 in Newtownmountkennedy, County Wicklow, Ireland, at the age of 23, while his force was stationed there dealing with the Irish Rebellion.

1847

Anne Burganey, the last surviving member of the family, died and the Hall and estate passes to Townsend Ince of Christleton Hall who sells it to the Duke of Westminster.

1854

Rev. Richard Massie, Rector of Eccleston, dies and his widow Hester Lee Massie rents Pulford Hall from The Duke of Westminster and lives there with various of her adult children who are either widowed or unmarried.

1881

Park House/Farm had been reduced from 300 acres to 84 which were made up of the Park and a reduced amount of this farm's land.

1884

A new Iron House was built. The architect was John Douglas and the land still consisted of 84 acres. Park House/Farm ceased to be a farm and was rented out as a cottage.

1891

Sidney Massie, the last surviving member of the family still living in the Hall, dies. Pulford Hall remained empty after the death of Sidney for part of the year 1891/92. It was then rented to Hamilton Young, Curate of Pulford. In 1895 it was rented to Joseph Evans.

1896

The Duke of Westminster had the hall demolished. Three cottages (Park Cottages) were built in the Park out of some of the Hall's Buildings.