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Halliday Hill House is considered the Ancestral Home of the Dodge Family. It dates back to the 1300s and is mentioned in the Dodges of Essex County, 1629-1898, by Joseph Thompson Dodge. The house stands on a hill in Offerton, Stockport, England and belongs to the city. It is rented to a young couple who appreciate the heritage of the house and keep it in tip-top shape. The main part of the house has stonework foundations and mullioned windows. Between the first and second floor, is a buttress which is covered by a material which protects the timber underneath. Flanges on the chimney denote an early thatched roof. Inside the house, are two 'crinoline' doors of solid oak which are wider at the bottom than at the top in order to facilitate easy access for the ladies in their crinolines. The interior of the house is completely timber-framed, dowel pinned, with wattle and daub infill. The dining room ceiling has been exposed to show the hand carved willow laths pinned by hand made nails. The roof beams are of hand-hewn oak supporting flags (the slate roof). Re-felting has been necessary and some flag supports have been replaced. The floor of the loft has also been raised with modern timber some 18 inches higher than original ceilings. In the loft, there is an aperture into a small, floored room about 5 feet long by the width of the house. Some ancient metal fittings indicate a door having been across the aperture at some time. Hand made laths of willow remain from days of thatching. The interior wall reveals a 12" oak support in the tradition 'cruck' form, with two dowel pins holding the final link support to the main beam. This small room has a window aperture facing the roadway. This aperture has, at some time, been filled in with stone. It is not obvious from the exterior of the building. An area of exposed wall beneath the staircase of the house, reveals the original hazel branches (or wattles) then covered with plaster of lime, sand, and cow hair. In spite of the fact that the house stands on a hill, the well under the stairs is always full of crystal-clear water. Pebble work on the left of the well suggests that this area was outside the house at some time and was later incorporated into the building. There is a tack room and other outbuildings on the property that date a later time period. The house may be viewed both inside and outside, with a descriptive tour given by Ray Preston of Stockport, England, by anyone who participates in one of the Dodge Tours to England. Ray is a very well versed local historian and is in demand as a speaker on the history of Stockport and Offerton. To read an article on the saving of Halliday Hill House click here. |