Brimstage Hall

Has been described as a Questionable Fortified Manor House

There are major building remains

NameBrimstage Hall
Alternative NamesBrunstath
Historic CountryCheshire
Modern AuthorityWirral
1974 AuthorityMerseyside
Civil ParishBebington

Brimstage Hall and Tower, Grade II House. Tower c.1398, probably a tower house, later possibly C16 extensions and C19 north wing. Stone with slate roof. 3-stage tower has slot windows, corbelled machicolations and early C19 iron railings and stair head. Elliptical-headed stair entrance to north and 2 windows of 2 lights with single-chamfered mullions. Ground floor room has 2-bay rib vault on half and quarter octagonal shafts, corbel in south-west angle said to represent lion (from Domville arms) or Cheshire cat. One of vault bosses has 3 twined fish (possible Hulse arms or symbol of Trinity). North-east spiral stair case has garderobe chambers, that to 3rd stage has original stone latrine, that to 2nd stage has C19 mahogany-cased water closet. West wall shows signs of demolished wing; some double-chamfered-mullioned windows. C19 wing has east facade of 3 bays, 1st gabled projecting bay, re-entrant porch bay, casement windows, those to 3rd bay show signs of original mullioned windows to either side, projecting bay has canted bay window. Rear has wing and some sash windows. Large stack to left return of projecting bay, possibly C16, interior stone fireplace. Upper part of staircase has column balusters. Ground floor room of tower believed to be chapel. (PastScape–ref. listing description)

Gatehouse Comments

King rejected this as a fortified house but the later alterations make it difficult to be certain of the form of the earlier buildings. There is now no trace of a moat, but the former moat and embankment is described in Sulley, who also states the house was built on a flat mound. Sulley's description is possibly somewhat excessive but this is clearly an ancient manorial centre, with a small attached park, which was moated and certainly decorated in a martial style. Gatehouse suspects it was fortified although not to the fanciful excess expressed by some authors.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

This is a Grade 1 listed building protected by law

Historic England Scheduled Monument Number
Historic England Listed Building number(s)
Images Of England
Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceSJ304826
Latitude53.3365707397461
Longitude-3.04627990722656
Eastings330420
Northings382600
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink
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Books

  • Salter, Mike, 2001, The Castles and Tower Houses of Lancashire and Cheshire (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 21 (slight)
  • Emery, Anthony, 2000, Greater Medieval Houses of England and Wales Vol. 2 East Anglia, Central England and Wales (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press) p. 518
  • Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge: Boydell Press) p. 17 (slight)
  • de Figueiredo, P. and Treuherz, J., 1988, Cheshire Country Houses (Chichester: Phillimore) p. 219
  • Cullen, P.W. and Hordern, R., 1986, Castles of Cheshire (Crossbow Books) p. 26
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 1 p. 69
  • Mackenzie, J.D., 1896, Castles of England; their story and structure (New York: Macmillan) Vol. 2 p. 166-7 online copy
  • Sulley, P., 1886, The Hundred of Wirral p. 211-212 online copy
  • Ormerod, G., 1882 (2edn), History of the County Palatine and city of Chester (London) Vol. 2 p. 434
  • Ormerod, G., 1819, History of the County Palatine and city of Chester (London) Vol. 2 p. 240-42 (tenurial history) online copy

Journals

  • Hogg, A.H.A. and King, D.J.C., 1967, 'Masonry castles in Wales and the Marches: a list' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol. 116 p. 71-132
  • 1932, Transactions of the Lancashire and Cheshire Antiquarian Society Vol. 47 p. 250