A Country House Bowdon Cheshire

This house, built for Mr Charles Johnson occupies a good position overlooking the beautifully foliated park of Dunham, situate at Bowdon, a few miles distant from Manchester, and a favourite place of residence of the “merchant princes” of that city. The outside is faced with Burnley parpoints, the dressings being of Yorkshire stone. The whole of the building is cellared, that part under the dining room being lighted by means of areas, lined with glazed white bricks, and appropriated for the purpose of a billiard room. The vestibule and staircase are warmed by means of hot water circulating in pipes and coils, fresh air from the outside being made to pass over the latter in such a way as to become well-warmed before passing into the rooms above. The ventilation of the house has been effected by means of glazed pipes built up between smoke flues and collected in the roof into one shaft in which is fixed a gas-jet, to assist the draught if required in sluggish weather - a system which the architects say they have found very effective. The contract for the house and stabling was taken by Mr Cardwell of Altrincham for £5,442. The architects are Messrs Horton &  Bridgford of Manchester. The grounds have been simply but tastefully laid out by Mr John Shaw, landscape gardener of Bowdon. [Builder 30 December 1871 Page 1026]

Reference           Builder 30 December 1871 Page 1026 with perspective, ground plan and site plan