Cruising on the Bridgewater to my Ancestral Home

Sunday, 10 May 2009 18:42

I did not know I had an Ancestral Home until yesterday!

It certainly pays to have friends up here. I must give an honourable mention here to Richard (and Gail his wife) who knows Lymm and the area from his cruises. Richard suggested that we must visit Dunham Massey, a ten minute walk from Bollington Under Bridge. He also told us there were good moorings there.

So we left Lymm and took a short cruise, finding the excellent moorings, with rings just as Richard had said!

Looking up Dunham Massey last night I saw that it was the home of the Booth and Grey families. "Old" Sir George Booth (1566 - 1652), 1st Earl of Warrington built the original house. His son "Young" Sir George Booth, the 2nd Earl of Warrington (1622-84) remodelled it extensively and created the wonderful garden, grounds and deer park.



The formal garden overlooking the moat

Unfortunately we have not managed to trace my Booth ancestry back to the 16th Century so we may not be related, but I think I will adopt Dunham Massey anyway! Perhaps there shoud be an "Adopt a Baron" agency for folks like me!

The house from the South

The Booth line became the Greys when the 2nd Earl failed to produce a male heir and his daughter married into the distinguished Grey family in 1736. She married Harry Grey 4th Earl of Stamford. The 10th Earl did not marry and donated the house and grounds to the National Trust. His sister married a Turnbull, thus the family line continued again through the female line.

The house from the back, over the moat

Dunham Massey certainly lived up to its press. The house was fascinating and the grounds were fabulous. More photos to come! Also the story of our short cruise.

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