“Lyndhurst,” Buxton Road, Davenport Park, Stockport.

RESIDENCE, DAVENPORT PARK, CHESHIRE. - This house is at present in course of erection for Mr. Thomas Lees, of the firm of T. and W. Lees, hat manufacturers, of Stockport. It is situated at the corner of the Park Road and the Buxton Turnpike, and commands an extensive view of both, having the dining-room and drawing- room windows facing the south. The building is faced on all sides with white-ended stocks from a neighbouring kiln, set in black mortar, leaden bond, with the quoined angles, cornices, pediments, strings, plinth, panels, etc., in red stock brick and terra-cotta, supplied by J. C. Edwards, of Ruabon. The leads and moulded sills to all windows, bases to chimney stacks, front entrance doorway and pediment over, are executed in polished Darley Dale stone. The roofs are covered with glazed red tiles from Ruabon, with special made hips and valleys, and the ridges are covered with lead rolls.

Internally the joinery is executed in pitch pine, except in main staircase where oak is used for the newels and hand rail. The ceiling to vestibule and inner hall is ribbed and filled in between with plaster panels, with a perforated wood cornice round same. The ceilings and cornices to dining-room, drawing-room and morning-room are executed in plaster, with papier-mâché enrichments, supplied by Messrs. Geo. Jackson and Sons, of Rathbone Street. The windows throughout are French casements opening outwards, the upper squares above transom being glazed with lead quarries and marginal lights of various tints by Williams, of Chester. The vestibule, entrance hall, corridor, lavatory, etc., are paved with encaustic tiles from Messrs. Campbell Smith & Co., specially designed for this work. Heating by hot water is arranged for, as well as the open fire-places. The sanitary arrangements have been carefully gone into, no. drains being admitted inside the house, and the lavatories, bath, sinks, etc., being disconnected with Stiff's "Kensington" traps. The general contractors are Messrs. N. and H. Brown, of Stockport, their foreman being Mr. Westbrook; the wrought-iron work, sundial, finials, etc., have been executed by Messrs. Freeman and Collier, of Manchester. The whole has been executed from the designs and under the superintendence of Messrs. Willoughby and Woodhouse, of Manchester and Stockport. In addition to the house itself, drawings are being prepared for boundary walling with open balustrade, pair of wrought-iron gates with stone piers and carved caps, stable, coach-house, etc., all in harmony with the style of the house. [British Architect 4 June 1886 page 593]

Although the British Architect report gives only partial details, the house has been identified as “Lyndhurst” standing at the corner of Buxton Road (A6) and Davenport Road. Probate records show that Thomas Lees, hat manufacturer, of “Lyndhurst” Mile End, near Stockport, hat manufacturer, died 15 December 1897.

This house is probably an early work of George Willoughby architect of Stockport, then in the process of forming a partnership with John Henry Woodhouse. The British Architect incorrectly gives the name of the partnership as “Willoughby and Woodhouse,” rather than the more familiar “Woodhouse and Willoughby.”

Reference           British Architect 4 June 1886 page 593