Moorgarth, Legh Road, Knutsford

 Built for Richard Watt. Fairhurst replaced John Brooke who it seems was unwilling to be subject to Watt’s instructions.

 Watts played very much the role of the intelligent patron of the eighteenth century. He selected his architects, bought his site and proceeded to commission plans. It seems probable that he would have preferred to carry out his ideas in this way. Architecture would have been a relaxation for a glove making man and as a merchant prince he could have indulged his fancies with the same facility as the princely patrons of a century before. But it was not to be. In spite of the youth and freedom from prejudice of his new architects Fairhurst & France, Watt still found great difficulty in conveying his intentions, so he took Fairhurst to Italy while the first house was in progress. They travelled for a month in the greatest comfort, Watt taking his architect each day to some favourite vantage point where he was left to sketch while Watt himself retired to the business quarter. There he would do a good morning's work before re-joining Fairhurst for lunch and an afternoon with some wealthy Italians. It was stated that while in Rome they hunted with Prince Umberto, a personal friend of his. They returned to England with sketch books full of details of chimneys and towers and notes on composition, grouping and terraces. However, it was too late to alter the first house which remained obstinately Cheshire style, except for the chimneys.

Reference           Architectural Review October 1940