Trafford Hall

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Overview

History

Bibliographic Sources

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Trafford Hall excavation site
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Venue Type & Location

Private Residence

Site Name: Trafford Hall
Location: near Manchester
County: Lancashire
Location Type: Town - near town at determined location

Overview

Located near the main road to Chester SW of Manchester with an unobstructed view of the River Irwell and across to Ordsall Hall (Walker, Country Houses 178).

Little is known about the half-timbered residence of the Trafford family.

Performance History

Probable performance venue. Although no relevant household accounts have been found, entertainers patronized by the Traffords are on record elsewhere in the county so they may have performed at home as well.

Current Status

Demolished.

History of the Venue

by early 13th c. De Trafford family owned the manor of Trafford.

mid-16th c. Residence built. A 1590 inventory survives (Lanc & Ches Wills & Inventories 2.72--4).

1720 Trafford family relocated their principal residence to Whittleswick Hall (later known as Trafford Park), a few miles to the NW. The original hall became known as Trafford Old Hall.

1939 Old Hall (on Chester Road) torn down. It had been divided into 3 separate houses and was very dilapidated.

Record Source

REED Lanc 151, 166

Patrons who owned this venue

Name Dates Titles
Trafford, Edmund 1526-1590 Knight
Trafford, Edmund 1562-1620 Knight

Bibliographic Sources

View a list of abbreviations.

  • Chapman, Margaret G. Lancashire Halls. Newcastle upon Tyne: Frank Graham, 1971.
  • George, David, ed. Lancashire. Records of Early English Drama (REED). Toronto, Buffalo, London: U of Toronto P, 1991.
  • Lancashire and Cheshire Wills and Inventories from the Ecclesiastical Court, Chester. The Second Portion. Piccope, G.J. ed. Chetham Society 51. Manchester: Printed for the Chetham Society, 1860.
  • Nevell, Michael. The Archaeology of Trafford: A Study of the Origins of Community in North West England before 1900. Chester: Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council with The U of Manchester Archaeological Unit, 1997.
  • Robinson, John Martin. A Guide to the Country Houses of the North West. London: Constable, 1991.
  • The Victoria History of the County of Lancaster. The Victoria History of the Counties of England. 8 vols. London: Archibald Constable, 1906–14.
  • Walker, J.S.F., and A.S. Tindall. Country Houses of Greater Manchester. Manchester: Greater Manchester Archaeological Unit, 1985.