Woodbank, Stockport
| Woodbank | |
|---|---|
 South entrance front with curved portico | |
  Location within Greater Manchester | |
| General information | |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Town or city | Stockport, Greater Manchester |
| Country | England |
| Coordinates | 53°24′36″N 2°07′52″W / 53.41001°N 2.13112°W |
| Construction started | 1812 |
| Completed | 1814 |
| Client | Peter Marsland |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | Thomas Harrison |
Listed Building – Grade II* | |
| Official name | Woodbank Villa and entrance portico |
| Designated | 10 March 1975 |
| Reference no. | 1162994[1] |
Woodbank is a historical villa and park in Stockport, Greater Manchester, England. The surrounding park, east of Vernon Park, is known as Woodbank Memorial Park and covers approximately 49 acres (20 ha).[2]
History
The villa was built in 1812–14 by Thomas Harrison in the Greek Revival style for Peter Marsland, a prominent industrialist in the Stockport area.[1] Woodbank was used as a museum and art gallery at one time.[3]
In 1924, Woodbank Villa was donated to the County Borough of Stockport; the parkland it stands in had been gifted to the council following the First World War.[4]
It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a Grade II* listed building, having been designated on 10 March 1975.[1]
Woodbank Villa was used as council offices before being left vacant in 2009; a developer made plans to convert the hall into apartments in 2021, though the proposals were not taken forward.[5]
In December 2023, Stockport Council stated that they had allocated £250,000 to "address the decline of the historic hall", with asbestos removal having been completed before further works which include the demolition of modern outbuildings.[6]
As of 2024, Woodbank Villa is on Historic England's Heritage at Risk Register, its condition classed as "very bad", with an "immediate risk of further rapid deterioration or loss of fabric."[7]
Gallery
River Goyt in Woodbank Park
See also
- Grade II* listed buildings in Greater Manchester
- Listed buildings in Stockport
- List of works by Thomas Harrison
References
- ^ a b c Historic England. "Woodbank Villa and entrance portico (Grade II*) (1162994)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
- ^ "Woodbank Memorial Park". woodlandtrust.org.uk. Woodland Trust. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
- ^ Maliphant, Pauline J. (1 January 1978). Museums Yearbook: Including a Directory of Museums and Galleries of the British Isles and a Guide to Their Administering Authorities. Anglo-Israel Association. ISBN 978-0-902102-40-8. Retrieved 21 November 2011.
- ^ Statham, Nick (10 February 2021). "Stockport's historic but abandoned Woodbank Hall could find a new lease of life as 'affordable apartments'". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
- ^ Statham, Nick (15 March 2023). "Fresh bid to save historic hall as council ploughs £250k into abandoned listed building". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
- ^ "Alarm at state of historic Woodbank Hall despite repair vow". BBC News. Manchester. 12 December 2023. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
- ^ "Woodbank Villa and Entrance Portico, Woodbank Memorial Park - Stockport". historicengland.org.uk. Historic England. Retrieved 27 February 2024.
