Gawsworth Hall & Gardens

Gawsworth Hall is one of Cheshire's classic timber-framed black-and-white houses, built in stages between 1480 and about 1600, and its grounds are as interesting for history lovers as the house itself. The house sits in an inner garden of about 30 acres within around 600 acres of walled parkland, and the grounds are listed Grade II* for their historic importance.

South of the hall, a modern formal garden occupies the site of the original 16th-century formal garden. Beyond it, out in the park, are the grassy earthworks of an older garden, generally accepted to be an Elizabethan pleasure garden. The Cheshire historian George Ormerod thought part of it was a tilting ground for jousting, a story repeated in the hall's own guidebook, which links it to hopes of a visit from Queen Elizabeth I that never happened. Look for the raised mound in the south-west corner, built so the garden could be viewed from above. To the west is the Rookery, with mature lime trees, and to the north are four fish ponds.

The grounds also hold 16th-century brick garden walls, a 17th-century gatehouse and listed gate piers, so it is worth walking the boundaries as well as the lawns. Nearby, in a small National Trust woodland, is the grave of Samuel 'Maggoty' Johnson, said to be England's last professional jester. The Grade I listed Church of St James stands immediately to the west. In summer, plays and concerts are held in an open-air theatre close to the hall, and there is a licensed tea room in the grounds. Opening is at advertised times, so check before travelling.