Enter your search terms Submit search form
	Web www.cheshirecycleway.co.uk

• Cycle shop
• Site-map
• Index
• News & views
• Have your say
• Services & contact

Gawsworth

by Alec and Val Scaresbrook

Gawsworth village is old, beautiful and very unusual. There's the glorious Gawsworth Hall, a black and white mansion with grounds that include a series of rectangular ponds, a medieval rectory and St James' church. There's also what is often referred to as a medieval tilting or jousting ground. There are no cottages or farm buildings to be seen because the hall once stood in its own parkland of some 243 hectares (600 acres). The garden's brick wall was built at great expense in Tudor times and a tremendous amount of earth was moved to create the mounds and terraces that can be seen today. It is thought that this garden was designed to stage entertainments on a huge scale to impress and flatter Queen Elizabeth 1, if she deigned to stay at the hall, but she never did favour the Fitton family.

St James church

This was built on the site of a Norman chapel by the Fitton family in the 15th century. The churchyard wall had to built around the yew tree, which proves the tree to be at least 500 years old.

Mary Fitton's ghost

The ghost of Mary Fitton is reputed to walk in Church Lane and in the church. She was the daughter of the Fittons, who were the Lords of the Manor of Gawsworth and became maid of honour to Queen Elizabeth 1 at 17. She willed that she be interred in the church, but there's no record of her burial, although other members of family are interred here and their monuments are here, including one of Mary.

Warren

Sometimes referred to as Gawsworth Warren, this village takes its name from the rabbit warren of Gawsworth estate. Until relatively recently, rabbits were valued as livestock and farmed for their fur and meat. They were kept in a particular place, with a warrener in charge of their welfare.

Maggoty's Wood

Old Maggoty was the nickname (behind his back) of Samuel Johnson (1691-1773), dancing-master to local gentry families. His other nickname (to his face) was Lord Flame, due to the part he had played in a London play that he'd written, which made him well-known. His wit was in demand and he was one of last professional jesters in England. He asked to be buried in this wood where he loved to walk. In 1851, the Reverend Edward Massie composed further verses for a slab alongside the grave using words which were more appropriate for Victorian times. The Gawsworth estate was sold in 1920 and the new owner of the wood restored the grave and lettering before giving the site to the National Trust.See the map below

Comment on 'Gawsworth'

  Email address

  Name

  Website  (optional)

Type into the empty box (below) the four letters you can see.

If the letters are difficult to read, click on the blue arrows for a new set.

Privacy statement:

The name you give with your comment will be displayed on this page, with a link to a website if given. Your email address is not displayed and is required only for moderation purposes. We do not pass on your personal information to anyone else.