Clayton Hall - History

History

The hall was probably built in the 15th century on the site of an earlier 12th century house built for the Clayton family. When Cecilia Clayton married Robert de Byron in 1194 it had passed into the hands of the Byron family, of which poet Lord Byron was a notorious member. The Byrons lived at the hall for over 400 years until they sold it in 1620 for £4,700 to two London merchants, George and Humphrey Chetham, who originated from Manchester. George Chetham died in 1625, leaving the hall to his brother Humphrey, who is famous for founding Chethams School and Library in the centre of Manchester. After an eventful life, including a term as High Sheriff of Lancashire for 1635, he died at the Hall in 1653 and ownership passed to his nephew, George Chetham, son of his brother James.

George Chetham was High Sheriff for 1660 and died in 1664. In 1666 James Chetham had eighteen hearths liable for hearth tax, making it the largest house in the area. Clayton Hall then passed to a relative, Edward Chetham, and from him to his sister Alice, who had married Adam Bland. Their daughter Mary married Mordecai Greene, a Spanish merchant; their only son James was MP for Arundel in 1796 and died in 1814. Clayton Hall then passed with Turton Tower, the other Chetham seat, to Arabella Penelope Eliza Greene, one of James' five daughters, who had married banker Peter Richard Hoare.

From 1863 to 1897 the hall was the rented home of the clergymen of the adjacent church of St. Cross, namely Reverends Lomax (1863–1867), W.H.Burns (1872–1890) and John White (1890–1897). In 1897 the Hall was sold by Charles A.R. Hoare to Manchester City Corporation and was thoroughly restored in 1900. The section on the right of the Hall is the older half, dating back to the 16th century and is rented out as a family dwelling. The section of the Hall on the left dates back from the 18th century and contained the dining room, kitchen, larder, scullery and pantry of the Hall. The oldest surviving structure on the site is the sandstone bridge crossing the (now empty) moat. Dating from the late medieval era, it was built to replace an original wooden drawbridge over the moat.

During the Civil War, Royalist cavalry were stationed here, before the attack on Manchester. Afterwards, according to legend, Oliver Cromwell was said to have spent three nights at the Hall.

The hall is open to the public on the third Saturday of each month under the auspices of the Friends of Clayton Hall.