Here we have another beautiful old hall, Hefferston Grange, that through the years has had many uses. It was built or altered in 1741 with parts of an earlier house dating from 1700.

The owner then was Philip Henry Warburton one of a long line of Cheshire’s ancient Warburton family, stretching back to the village of Warburton near Warrington and then to Arley Hall. The first record of a family of that name at Hefferston Grange was on the March 15, 1530. On that date, Peter Warburton was born there. His grandfather was also Peter Warburton who died in 1550 at Arley Hall.

Northwich Guardian:

It is quite likely that through the early years it was a Grange for Vale Royal. Philip Henry Warburton who had the house rebuilt in 1741, died single in 1761 and left all his estates to his sister Elizabeth, the wife of John Philpot. John left them to his daughter Mary, the wife of Nicholas Ashton who enlarged the house in neo-classical style in the 1770s. He also owned Woolton Hall in Liverpool at the time, and this beautiful stately home was later abandoned and is now boarded up.

Nicholas died in 1833 leaving the Hefferston estate to his son Joseph who died three years later leaving the estate to his son Charles Ellis Ashton.

Northwich Guardian:

Before he died in 1876, Charles sold the estate to a Robert Heath who made further extensions and alterations including a cast iron conservatory as seen in the photograph and an Icehouse that is Grade II listed. In the 1920s it was sold to Warrington County Borough for use as a TB sanatorium. When it was a TB hospital, as well as the main buildings, there were several prefabricated buildings as wards with verandas. The TB patients could be wheeled on to them in their beds to receive the benefit of fresh air. Oakmere Hall was a rest home for coal miners, and some with damaged lungs and TB were accommodated at The Grange to receive treatment.

Northwich Guardian:

Then during the war, a dedicated Red Cross hospital formed of sheds was erected in the grounds. The estate was transferred to the NHS In 1948 to become The Grange Hospital. My father was a patient there in 1968. In 1983 it became a nursing home mainly for geriatric patients with 84 beds, and in 1986 it was sold by the NHS to developers.

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There now is the Grade II listed hall converted into exclusive apartments, the stables, also Grade II listed are high-class apartments. In the ground’s houses have been built mirroring the beautiful hall. What was an old Grange is now an exclusive development of apartments and new homes.