Tatton Park
Beautiful Tatton Park, one of the premier stately homes in Cheshire, spans 2000 acres, and includes the Mansion and the Tudor Old Hall along with 1000 acres of deer park and 50 acres of superb gardens.
Tatton Mere
The neo classical mansion of Tatton Hall was commenced in 1791 by Samuel Wyatt (1737-1807) for William Egerton. The state rooms and most of the family rooms contain paintings and furnishings collected by the Egerton family over a period of some two hundred years, including the original furniture designed for them by the renowned cabinet makers, Gillows of Lancaster and London.
Tatton was owned by the Egerton family for nearly 400 years, but is now in the care of the National Trust. The park is home to red and fallow deer as well as many other types of wildlife and the animals at Home Farm. For bird lovers the New Allen Bird Hide on the edge of Tatton's Melchett Mere provides the perfect spot for watching birds.
Melchett Mere
The Old Hall at Tatton dates from around 1520 and was built by either the Stanley family or Sir Richard Brereton, a guided tour offers an insight into life in England in Tudor times. The hall is set in an enclosure in the Parkland between Tatton Mere and the site of an Anglo Saxon village with its Landscape history trail.
Red deer on the estate
The deer park was created by a royal charter in 1290 and deer have inhabited the Tatton estate Tatton since then. The two species present today are red deer and fallow deer. Deer behaviour changes seasonally so they are of interest throughout the year, especially in the autumn when the ‘rut’ gets underway. Triggered by shortening daylight hours and cooler weather, the rut marks the time of year when male deer compete to mate with females resulting in much posturing, bellowing and wallowing.
The superb gardens at Tatton are composed of a mix of styles from varying time periods. There is a walled kitchen garden, beech maze, Japanese Garden, conservatory, a fernery designed by Joseph Paxton, architect of the Crystal Palace, and an Italian garden. In addition there is a rose garden, topiary and Leech Pool.
The theshing barn by the Old Hall
Outdoor activities include bird watching, horse riding and fishing as well as golf, walking and sailing. The park has two lakes, Tatton Mere and Melchett Mere.
A walk at Tatton Park
Distance- around 4 miles
*Commencing at the entrance to Tatton Park, walk along Knutsford Drive in the direction of Tatton Hall, passing a large lake, Tatton Mere, on your right, Keep an eye out for the herds of deer which often frequent this area. After crossing a cattle grid take the path to the right, sign posted to the outdoor centre.
*Head up towards the outdoor centre and go right to walk around the lake. When the path forks, take the path to the left which heads towards the wood. Pass through a metal kissing gate and continue through the wood to a further metal kissing gate.
*Cross the railway bridge to enter a residential area. Follow the road around and head towards the main road through Knutsford. Keep on the right side of the road and continue towards the town centre. Pass Moordale road, take the next right which is Middlewalk and continue down the hill.
*Go under the bridge and walk through the park. Cross the road and head towards Kings Street. Continue down Kings Street to arrive back at the entrance to Tatton Park.