Bridge over moat at Hulme Hall

Bridge over the moat at Hulme Hall is a Grade II* listed stone bridge in the parish of Allostock, in the English county of Cheshire. It carries visitors across the water that surrounds Hulme Hall and is one of the oldest surviving parts of this moated manorial site.

What is the Bridge over the moat at Hulme Hall?

The structure is a small historic bridge that spans the moat of Hulme Hall, a moated hall in rural Cheshire. Historic England records it in the National Heritage List for England under the name "Bridge Over Moat at Hulme Hall", list entry number 1138456, with the address given as Hulme Hall Lane. It was first listed on 10 March 1953. Grade II* is a high category: it is reserved for particularly important buildings and structures of more than special interest, and only a small share of listed buildings in England carry it.

How old is the bridge and what does it look like?

The official description gives the bridge fifteenth-century origins, although its present appearance is eighteenth-century. It is built of red sandstone and has two segmental arches, meaning arches formed from a shallow section of a circle rather than a full semicircle. The stonework was originally laid dry, without mortar, and has since been pointed in cement mortar. This mix of dates is typical of old moat crossings, which were repaired and altered over the centuries while keeping their original line.

A local history page published by Allostock parish attributes the medieval bridge to the Shakerley family, who held Hulme Hall, and describes it as one of the entrances across a moat about twenty yards wide.

Why does it matter?

The bridge forms part of a wider historic group. Hulme Hall itself is also listed at Grade II*, and the surrounding moated site has its own protection as a scheduled monument. In the scheduling record the bridge is excluded from the scheduled area, because it is protected through listing, but the ground beneath it is included. The bridge is therefore best understood together with the hall and the moat: the crossing is the visible, practical link between the farmland outside and the house inside the water.

Hulme Hall was on the Heritage at Risk register before a restoration costing around one million pounds was completed in 2014. That work helped secure the future of the hall and its setting.

Visiting and practical tips

• The bridge stands at Hulme Hall, reached from Hulme Hall Lane near the village of Allostock in mid Cheshire.
• Hulme Hall is a private property, so check what is visible from public roads and rights of way, and respect the owners' privacy.
• The area is rural and quiet, suited to a short stop on a country drive or a walk through the Cheshire countryside.
• Bring a camera if you enjoy architectural detail: the two arches and the sandstone masonry are the main points of interest.

Frequently asked questions

Is the bridge listed? Yes. It is listed at Grade II*, list entry 1138456, since 1953.

When was it built? The listing gives it fifteenth-century origins with an eighteenth-century appearance.

What is it made of? Red sandstone, with two segmental arches.

Where is it? At Hulme Hall in Allostock, Cheshire, England, at about 53.248 N, 2.414 W.

Can I cross it? The hall is privately owned, so do not assume public access; check beforehand.