Medieval manor house to be given to heritage trust

Baguley Hall is a Grade-I listed building in Wythenshawe

A medieval manor house in Manchester is to be handed over to a building preservation trust, to allow it to be restored and opened to the public.

Historic England said it will give Baguley Hall in Wythenshawe to the Heritage Trust North West, to allow it to focus its funds on the cost of repairs.

The trust said it will consult local communities on restoration plans, which will be "sympathetic to the character of the historic building".

Michael Guy from the trust said it was "honoured and excited" to take over, adding that opening the building up again will be central to plans, and will "benefit the wider community".

Historic England said it had agreed to transfer ownership of the manor house, which was built in 1320, for no upfront payment because of the condition of the building.

The cost of the required repairs would be more than what a fixed-up version of the building could fetch on the open market, it added.

The site received a "poor" rating from Heritage England in 2024

Baguley Hall is a Grade I-listed building which features a timber-framed great hall, a medieval kitchen and is set within two acres of land.

In 2024, the property's condition was listed on Historic England's Heritage at Risk Register as "poor", leading to £250,000 worth of repairs being carried out to make the site ready for future use.

It was put up for sale but after a year-and-a-half on the market, Heritage Trust North West has been named as the new custodian of the South Manchester site by Historic England - the public body that protects heritage sites across England.

Historic England's North West director, Catherine Dewar, said: "We are delighted to announce Heritage Trust North West as our preferred future owner for Baguley Hall.

Baguley Hall was built in 1320 by Sir William de Baguley

"The trust's proposals show a detailed understanding of the building's history and why it's so important.

"They offer an exciting vision for bringing this South Manchester historic gem back to life for the benefit of local communities.

"We are incredibly grateful to the local friends groups who've been so constructive in working with us throughout this process and will remain involved in Baguley Hall's exciting future."