Bruntwood Hall and rear gardens

Bruntwood Hall and Park potted history

2011 marked the 150th anniversary of the completion of Bruntwood Hall and it is now more than 60 years since the surrounding park was made available as a public space to be enjoyed by everyone.

Below, we celebrate the history of one of the most famous and popular places in Cheadle. 

Even though this wonderful attraction -one of the most popular in Stockport- is no more than a five minute drive from the hustle and bustle of High Street, once you are within the 100 acres of parkland, there is a distinct feeling of being in the heart of the country -and a reminder of how Cheadle used be 100 or so years ago.

The idyllic location was a prime reason why the hall was constructed on this site when it was built to become the new home for a Mr John Douglas and his wife and was named Bruntwood after the name of the village in Ayrshire where Mrs Douglas was born.

Over the years since, the hall has been sold a number of times and became the home to a succession of successful industrialists and local gentry, with many living there in splendid isolation, surrounded by wonderful views, colours and wildlife. Around the beginning of last century, it also served as a racehorse stud farm and during its time was one of the most successful such farms in the north of England.

More recently, between 1944 and 1959, Bruntwood Hall served as the council offices for Cheadle and Gatley Urban District Council. It was then sold to the timber supply company Montague Mayer for £10,750, with the money raised helping to pay for the purchase of Abney Hall -where the council moved to next.

During the 1970s, the Council were given the opportunity to buy the hall back, but at an asking price of more than £100,000, it was rightly rejected.

In the early 1980s, there were more plans for change. A serious idea was put forward to turn Bruntwood into a science park at a cost of around £100 million, but the idea caused such outrage within the local community that an estimated two thousand people signed a petition opposing the plans and they were eventually scrapped.

These days, while the park is enjoyed by all sections of the community, the hall remains privately owned and is now commercial offices, but the building is not out of bounds. On part of the ground floor, the Granelli's ice cream company run The Vinery Restaurant in the restored Victorian conservatory, with ideallyc views of the gardens outside.

Inevitably, the hall itself has been significantly modernised over the years and there has also been a number of visual changes to the building's exterior, such as the removal of many of the original chimneys and finials from the roof. Nonetheless, it still retains much of its original character and it is likely to remain one of Cheadle's most prominent buildings for many years yet.

Bruntwood has many other attractions. The 18 hole pitch and putt course has been a popular venue for budding golfers for more than 30 years, while the play area, with its swings, roundabouts and other amenities, is especially popular amongst young families. The duck pond is another feature which has stood the test of time, while the famous archery club, the Bowmen of Bruntwood, formed more than 60 years ago, is now one of the most successful archery clubs in the area with members to be found practising and competing on their dedicated range most weeks of the years.

   Bruntwood Lodge 

Conservatory and Vinery Restaurant 

Play area 

Bowmen of Bruntwood 

Acres of open parkland