Oldfield Hall Estate
The land on which John Leigh Park is now located was previously the site of Oldfield Hall; a house of some prominence in the area. The Hall, of Georgian appearance contained extensive gardens and a small parkland which was located to the south of Oldfield Road. The Hall had a formal entrance which was flanked by trees, and this gave way to a informal planting of even more trees close to the house. The parkland itself also contained a further array of forest trees. The grounds to the rear of the Hall sloped upwards rising to an ornamental summer house called 'The Temple'.
Prior to 1911, the Oldfield Hall Estate also stretched from the Hall & Gardens north of Oldfield Road to an area of farmland which reached to the old Linotype Estate buildings and ran alongside the Bridgewater Canal.
There have been seven owners of the Oldfield Hall Estate, starting during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. It is difficult to fully understand how the first owners came into the possession of the property as records from this time are scanty. However, the first owner was a member of the Parker family who must have been important enough to secure this land rather than the de Masci family (later the Earls of Stamford) who owned most of the surrounding area. All of the former owners of Oldfield Hall were exceptionally wealthy and in some cases from the local aristocracy. The property itself would have seen many changes over the course of history, particular the new transport links that were developed in late 18thc which allowed for the easy movement of raw cotton and processed goods between the region and the port of Liverpool. It was during this time that the nearby Bridgwater canal was built and passed by the border of the Oldfield Hall estate.
By following the links learn more about the history of these fascinating people and their families:
Prior to 1911, the Oldfield Hall Estate also stretched from the Hall & Gardens north of Oldfield Road to an area of farmland which reached to the old Linotype Estate buildings and ran alongside the Bridgewater Canal.
There have been seven owners of the Oldfield Hall Estate, starting during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. It is difficult to fully understand how the first owners came into the possession of the property as records from this time are scanty. However, the first owner was a member of the Parker family who must have been important enough to secure this land rather than the de Masci family (later the Earls of Stamford) who owned most of the surrounding area. All of the former owners of Oldfield Hall were exceptionally wealthy and in some cases from the local aristocracy. The property itself would have seen many changes over the course of history, particular the new transport links that were developed in late 18thc which allowed for the easy movement of raw cotton and processed goods between the region and the port of Liverpool. It was during this time that the nearby Bridgwater canal was built and passed by the border of the Oldfield Hall estate.
By following the links learn more about the history of these fascinating people and their families:
- George Parker - steward to George Booth, 1st Earl of Warrington and Baron Delamer
- Sir Amos Meredith 1st Baronet of Marston - banished to Ireland by Cromwell
- John Rigby - wealthy Manchester Merchant and father of William Rigby, the man credited with rebuilding Oldfield Hall in the 18th century and establishing the trees in the parkland and gardens
- Edward Jeremiah Lloyd - prominent Barrister and JP
- John Allen JP - Manchester Silk Merchant
- James Grimble Grove MP - Chairman and Managing Director of Groves and Whitnall Ltd and JP
- Sir John Leigh 1st Baronet Altrincham - his life and generosity to the community during the First World War and beyond
