Old Hall Hotel, Sandbach

The Old Hall Hotel on the High Street, in the centre of Sandbach, Cheshire, is a Grade I listed building and appears on English Heritage's Buildings at Risk Register as priority A, the highest grading.

Heritage Works has currently undertaken an options appraisal study, funded by Sandbach Town Council, English Heritage, Cheshire East Council and the Architectural Heritage Fund.

Download Sandbach Old Hall Options Appraisal Study, Executive Summary [pdf 218Kb]

The Study

The purpose of the study was to:

• Assess the condition, repair needs and structural integrity of the building.
• Undertake research into the history of the building to assess its historic significance.
• Explore end uses through consultation with the local authority, stakeholders and the valuation adviser. We will be assisted in this by the Save the Old Hall Action Group (SOHAG), which has campaigned for the rescue and re-use of the building for many years.
• Draw up sketch schemes for potential re-use.
• Provide a budget, costing for the repair of the building and for each of the conversion options.
• Determine the total project cost through an assessment of non-construction costs to be added to the quantity surveyor's budget figures.
• Assess the conservation deficit following discussions with the valuation agent, and propose means of reducing the deficit, through cost reductions and/or changes to the conversion proposals.
• Explore funding sources.
• Identify opportunities for community engagement and training projects.

History & Description

The Old Hall is dated 1656, although the 2-gabled projecting wing on the left-hand side is slightly later. This large "black and white" timber framed building occupies the site of the ancient mansion of the Sondbaches who were once lords of the manor. The present building was built in 1656 for Sir John Radclyffe, who secured Sandbach's market charter from Queen Elizabeth I in 1579.

It was originally constructed square from wattle and daub with an oak frame. It is timber framed at the front and partly timber framed and partly brick at the back. There has been some restoration but most of the original structure remains. The oak for the timber frame is thought to have come from the Saxe-mondron forest near Nantwich. There is good exposed timber framing throughout with some shaped timbers having decorative motifs of balusters and barbed lozenges, all well restored. The building has three storeys with four gables on the front elevation with restored barge-boards and finials. Moulded wood mullion and transom casement windows with leaded lights have been well restored in the past. The first storey windows have gabled bays with shallow pediments. Brick stacks with diagonal shafts have been restored. The roofs are of stone flags. On the right hand side of the building is a carriage arch. The Old Hall stands back from the road in its own grounds. Interior features include: three Jacobean fireplaces, a left-handed spiral staircase, a priest hole, oak panelling and an original oak baluster staircase.

In the 18th century another extension was added and the stables at the rear were enlarged and the Old Hall Coaching Inn was born. The Liverpool to Lichfield Coach stopped to change horses and passengers were encouraged to stay at the Inn, so the Inn was eventually classed as a Hotel. There was reputed to be a hidden passage to St. Mary's Church across the road, used as an escape route for persecuted monks, but it is unlikely that this still exists.

The building has suffered general deterioration due to a combination of a lack of maintenance and poorly executed repairs. Some basic emergency works have been undertaken by recent owners. Due to the building's current situation, an action group called the Save the Old Hall Action Group was set up by concerned local people and has ensured regular media coverage.

The building has recently been purchased by Brunning and Price who plan to bring the building back in to use as a pub. It is anticipated that the completed study will act as a reference document to inform any future use.