At the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066, Lymm comprised of two distinct manors, one in the area of Lymm Hall and the other at Oughtington.
The de Limme family owned much of Lymm and lived in Lymm Hall until 1342 when their property transferred (by marriage) to the Domville family.
From around the 15th Century much of the area was wholly agricultural and sparsely populated. At around this time came the construction of Lymm Cross, the moat-house at Lymm Hall and other related building projects; the Hall and Estate remained under the ownership of the Domville family for over 500 years.
The forms the centre of the present Lymm Hall, although much altered and extended in the 19th Century, it has buff sandstone to the front and side and stone-dressed brick to the rear. The remains of the moat are now dry and remain on three sides, the southern arm having been filled in.
The remains of the moat are listed under a “Scheduled monument” status and the stone bridge across the moat dates back to the mid 17th century.
The estate eventually passed onto the Reverend Mascie Domville Taylor and on his death was broken up and sold in 1846. The estate extended to include 564 acres, the Hall, 18 cottages, 2 public houses, 4 farms, a corn mill, a slaughter house and a smith's and wheelwright's shop.
Within the grounds of the Hall are a pair of restored “cock pits” and an old “Ice House” used for storage of ice, needed to keep food fresh in the days before mechanical refrigeration.
The Hall has had several owners since the 1840's, James Barratt and William Battersby being two who are remembered for their generosity to the Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin. The Hall and Moat House together with the adjacent buildings have been in the ownership of the Cotterill family since the early 1900's and the Hall and stables have now been divided into several flats. The grounds were reduced from 23 acres to now a more manageable 10 acres and is currently privately owned and not freely accessible to the general public.
View details on history in Lymm.
