The Old Croft Legh Road Knutsford

Built for Richard Harding Watt in an Arts & Crafts style. At the time Brooke was involved in the development of lands sold off by the Leghs of Booths following the arrival of the railway. Watt was one of John Brooke’s neighbours in Bowdon and Brooke may well have suggested the idea to him.

In in 1895 at the age of 55 Watt moved to Knutsford and built his own house. He took a keen interest in the construction, visiting the site every day, carefully studying the different stages of the job. The design in an Arts and Crafts style did not really reflect his views but was dictated chiefly by Brooke. But the construction of this essentially ordinary house was to prove the catalyst which ignited Watt's mania for building. Watt was sufficiently enthusiastic to want to try again and two years later began his series of houses on Legh Road However, John Brooke was too well-established an architect to act as a a mere draughtsman. Instead it was the young Harry S Fairhurst and others that Watt employed to “ghost” the  eccentric Italian style that was to become the hallmark of his work in Knutsford.

Reference    Pevsner: Cheshire
Reference    Michael Hyde    A Window on Knutsford