Carden Hall, Cheshire, England

Although Carden Hall burned down in 1912, prints, photographs and descriptions have survived. Although Pevsner described the house as sixteenth-century, Peter de Figueiredo and Julian Treuherz state that it was Jacobean (i.e. 1603×25). Its frontage was symmetrical, consisting of two large outer gables with five smaller ones between. The timber framing was highly decorative and very busy; it rested on a sandstone base, known locally as basting. The main entrance was in the centre of the north side, through a loggia consisting of three arches. It was built by the Leche family, lords of the manor of Nether Carden from the early fifteenth until the early twentieth century, and the many ogee Gothick windows attest the modification by John Hurleston Leche XV c 1830.

Carden Hall, before its destruction in 1912. It has been thought that the Hall stood on or next to the site of an earlier moat, one arm of which survived to the west. Although it is known that at least two earlier houses occupied the site, one built in the third quarter of the fifteenth century replacing an earlier structure that burnt down, the evidence for a moat is not clear-cut and needs further evaluation. The hollow immediately west of the Hall site does not look artificial.

A few parts of the Hall survived the fire of 1912; in addition to the sandstone footings and brick wine cellars, the stables (now Carden Hall Farm), an icehouse and the lodges still exist. Carden Hall Farm originally formed the stables to Carden Hall; it is of early eighteenth-century date (a weathercock of 1721 has survived), with alterations of 1828 and conversion more recently to a farmhouse. The weathercock bears the initials of I(ohn) O L(eche).

The icehouse is a circular red brick structure with a saucer dome set into an artificial earthen mound. Carden Lodge, to the south, is a neo-classical tripartite triumphal arch of c 1830 with detached Ionic columns flanking the outer bays. Only the middle bay is open, with a barrel vault. A large attic runs across the top. The arch is now used by the leisure company that owns much of the Park as its logo.

Clutton Lodge is less imposing but an odd structure. It is formed by two lodges of square concave-sided plan, with canted corners holding niches and low domes topped with a terracotta urn. Pevsner dates the lodge by the windows, which he assigns to c 1835×45 and considers a puzzling date for the design; the Listing record gives a date of c 1830 and suggests that the Baroque design may have been inspired by the adjacent early eighteenth-century wrought iron railings. However, Clutton Lodge is clearly shown on Swire & Hutchings’ map of 1829, and the windows may be evidence for a later refenestration. The railings were by the Davies brothers of Croes Foel, but their gates have been removed. However, none of these elements can have been in place until after 1819, as they do not appear on Greenwood's map, which also shows that the Turnpike road onto which they front had not yet been built.

The Park has been heavily modified, particularly in recent years. The construction of the golf course on the eastern and southern sides of the park has cut swathes through woodland and created bunkers in formerly smoothly undulating ground. Before this, the park had been in a state of dereliction for some time and the eighteenth-century features added to the westernmost cliff (including a low wall, steps and standing stones) were in a state of considerable disrepair in 1991. The ha-ha was restored during construction of the golf course, and remains a notable feature in the landscape, especially when viewed from outside the Park.

With regard to the Carden (formerly Cawarden) family name; according to Ormerod "at some point before the reign of Henry III (i.e., before 1216) a family assumed the local name Carden." About 1450 a daughter - Lucy of William de Cawarden married John Leche of Chatsworth, Derbyshire, who thereby acquired Lower Carden Hall and its lands in Cheshire.

The Leche Family

Due to the large number of John Leches there is potential for great confusion.
The following may help:

• John Leche I
• John Leche II surgeon to Edward III (1327-77)
• David Leche
• John Leche III died c 1400
• John Leche IV c 1395 - after 1421
• John Jankyn Leche V 1422 - after 1454
• John Leche VI c 1455 - 1513
• John Leche VII c 1485 - 1552
• John Leche VIII 1510 - 1569
• John Leche IX 1561 - 1591
• John Leche X 1586 - 1644
• John Leche XI 1614 - 1657
• John Leche XII 1642 - 1711
• John O Leche XIII 1675 - 1731
• John Leche XIV 1704 - 1765
• William Leche 1734 - 1817
• John Hurleston Leche XV 1805 - 1844
• John Hurleston Leche XVI 1827 - 1903
• Sir John Hurlesto Leche 1889 - 1960
• John Hurleston Leche XVIII 1933 - 1989 Disposed of the estate c 1985
• John Hurleston Leche XIX 1961 -

The above is by Keith Fitzpatrick-Matthews from Carden Hall and other Parkland Buildings (Permission pending)

Leche of Carden Lineage:

A family which assumed their surname Cawarden or Cawarthyn, from their place of abode in the county of Chester, where they had settled before the reign of Henry III, terminated in the male line about the time of Henry IV with William Cawarden, who left 4 daus, his coheirs, viz:

• Isabella m to Thomas Fitton, of Cawarden
• Lucy m to John Leche
• Eleanor m to John Golborne
• Margery m to David de Cluttone

The husband of the 2nd coheir,

• John Leche, who was living in the reign of Hen IV and then in possession of Lower Carden, in right of his wife, is made, by some pedigrees, a younger brother of the family of Leche of Chatsworth co Derby, “but”, says Ormerod “ there is a material variation between the higher generations of the Chatsworth Leches, as given in these pedigrees, and in abstract of deeds, from which, if correct, it appears that the family was settled in Carden as early as 20 Edward III, when Eva, widow of Hugh de Warin, releases lands in Caruthin to John Leche and Lucy, his wife, her sister, which John is said to be father of Leche, surgeon to Edward III, who, by patent (50 Edward III) was grantee of Castle Warin and other lands and was father of Daniel, the father of John Leche, to whom Jane, wife of John Preston, delivers lands in Carden 2 Henry IV and who obtained the lower Carden estate in marriage with Lucy Cawarden” John Leche left, by Lucy de Cawarden, a son and heir
• John de Leche, to whom , and to Maud, his wife (dau of Robert del Holte and relict [widow] of Robert de Carden). Howell de elton and Ellen, his wife, release lands in Clotten, Carden and Aldersey, 18 Henry VI. The said John Leech and Maud, his wife, and the said Howell and Ellen, hold lands for life in Tilston, Carden, and Clotton, and grant the same in trust to Berneston de Churton, 31st of the same king. John de l Leche had, with David of Nantwich, an elder son, his succcessor,
• John Leche Esq. of Carden, whose name with that of his wife Isabel, dau and heir of William Johnson, of Farndon, occurs in a deed in 1 Edward IV (1461).His son and successor,
• John Leche Esq of Carden m 14 Edward IV, Margaret, dau and sole heir of George Mainwaring Esq of ightfield, and had issue I John, his heir, II Henry, who m Mary, dau of Andrew Wilson and was father of John who s his uncle at Carden III George, alderman of Chester, ancestors of the Leches of Mollington IV William V Robert ! Anne and II Margaret m ti Hugh Catherall. The eldest and heir
• John Leche, Esq of Carden, survived until 6 Edward IV as appears by his will, dated in that year, and, dying without issue, was s by his nephew,
• John Leche Esq of Carden, who m before 27 Henry VII Jane, dau of Robert fitton Esq and had (with a younger son Charles, and 2 daus Margaret b in 1567 and Anne wife of -- Broughton) a successor,
• John Leche Esq of Carden,bapt at Tilston in 1558, who inherited, at his father’s decease 11 Elizabeth. He m Ursula (living in 1591, the date of her husband’s will), dau of the Rev John Mainwaring of dayton and had (with 2 daus, Mary, the elder m to Thomas Beington of Chorley, and the younger m to John Hinde of Stanney) a son and heir
• John Leche Esq of Carden who m in 1613 Alice, dau of William Aldersey, alderman of Chester and dying in 1657, was buried at Tilston and s by his son
• John Leche Esq of Carden, aged fifty 29 July 1664, who m 1st Elizabeth, dau of John Newton of Highly in Salop, and by her who d in 1654, had four sons and four daus viz I John, his heir II Francis deputy-registrar of the diocese of St asaph III Thomas a minister in Cambridge IV Charles of Chester m Frances dau of George Buckley Esq and had a son, Samuel ; I Mary II Sarah m 10 Dec 1682 to Humphrey Walley of Chester IIIElizabeth and IV Alice. Mr Leche m secondly at Tilston 20 April 1665 Elizabeth, dau of ---Best Esq and relict [widow] of Richard Alport Esq of Overton, by whom he had Richard and Bridget. He was s by his eldest son,
• John Leche Esq of Carden, aged more than 21 years in 1664. He m at Kildwick 23 Sep 1674, Grace, dau of Hugh Currer Esq of Kildwick in Yorkshire and had issue IJohn, his heir II Thomas bapt 1679 rector of Tilston III Henry and I Elizabeth m to the Rev Thomas Lloyd of Plas Power in Denbighshire and d in 1746. The eldest son
• John Leche Esq of Carden was high sheriff of Cheshire in 1712. He m Sarah, dau of and heiress of Thomas Hargrave, Esq of Helsby and was s by his eldest son,
• John Leche Esq of Carden, sheriff of Cheshire in 1753, who m 7 May 1728, Mary, second dau of John Hurleston Esq of Newton, and co-heir of her Uncle, Charles Hurleston Esq, and by her who d 29 Dec 1763,aged fifty two, left at his decease (with three daus I Penelope m to Thomas Puleston Esq of Emral but d.s.p. II Sarah and III Mary m toTjomas Roberts Esq of Mollington) several sons, all of whom d.s.p.except
• William Leche Esq of Carden, the only proprietor of that estate in a line of 13 generations who did not bear the name of John. He served the office of sheriff for Cheshire in 1774 and m at Tilston Church 26 April 1805, Hannah dau of James Newell by whom he had a son, John-Hurleston, his heir. Mr Leche dying 8 may 1817 aged eighty three was buried in a new vault in Tilston churchyard, on the north side of a chancel belonging to the family, erected by Edward Wright Esq, and by his son, the present John-Hurleston Leche Esq of Carden.
• John-Hurleston Leche, Esq. of Carden Co Chester b 23 May 1805, m 25 May 1826, Elizabeth Antonia, eldest da of Anthony-Innys Stokes Esq of St Botolph’s in Pembrokshire - and has had issue:

1. * John-Hurleston b 25 Feb 1827
2. * William-Randolph b 10 Feb 1828 and d 7 Jan 1830
3. * Hugh-Richard-Anthony-Evergreen b 5 April 1832
4. * Charles-Henry b 30 May 1833
5. * Randal b 22 Jan 1837
6. * James-Thomas b 30 May 1837
7. * Victoria-Penelope
8. * Johanna-Hurleston

Mr Leche s. his father 8 May 1817 and served the office of high-sheriff for Cheshire in 1832

Arms- Erm. on a chief, indented gu., three ducal coronets Crests - on a ducal coronet or a cubit arm ppr. The hand grasping a snake, vert. Motto - alla corona fidisimo Seat - Carden Park, Chester

https://books.google.co.za/books?id=YdIKAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA702&lpg=PA702... Burke's Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry, Volume 1 A-L: London, Henry Colburn Publisher MDCCCXLVII /1847

pp 701-2