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Storeton Hall is place that few people in the area know any history about, infarct many do not even
know that it exists. One thing that is certain is that the old hall is steeped in history. The Halls first
known tenant was Sir William Stanley in 1360, although it shows signs of earlier occupation and It is
alleged that the nephew of King Arthur resided at the hall. Sir William Stanley was born in 1337, he
was knighted in 1352 and died in June 1398. At the time of his death he was Lord of Stourton
(Storeton), Puddington and Stanlegh in Staffordshire. There was a strong rumour that the hall
belonged to Alan Sylvester who was granted the stewardship of the Forrest of Wirral by the Earl of
Chester in 1120. However the current Hall does not fit the correct era and therefore proves this
theory incorrect. It is likely that Alan Sylvesters family hall complex occupied a site near by, which as
yet it remains unfound.
The Hall was built out of stone quarried from the local area. The remains of Storeton Hall are now
incorporated into Storeton Hall farm buildings, and less than half of the original medieval building now
survives above ground. We know this because the plan was recovered in the 19th century by Edward
Cox. The plan clearly shows a large stone building with a central great hall and slightly projecting
wings to the north and south. There was a service court yard adjoining the south wing and a strong
porch on the East., protecting the main entrance. Such as complex building is usually provided with
an outer defense wall or moat, but if an outer defence existed here there are no remains left today.
The original hall was of hall and cross wings plan with extensions from both wings. The part that
survives is the East wall of the Hall and the whole of the 2 storeyed upper cross wing and extension.
The walls were utilised for stable purposes in the 19th century.. The outer wall of the hall was
incorporated in part of an elongated farm range so that what the visitor sees is the length of its
exposed inner face. It extends from the stub of the screen wall to the common wall of the cross wing
and the torn stonework of the west wall giving a total area of approx 40 by 24 feet (960‘²) which is
now completely concreted over. The outer walls stands for about two thirds of its height with the
protected outer face more clearly showing its original form. The original entrance was at it south end
and is now blocked up. This originally had a two centred head, hood and rear arch. The body of the
wall is filled by the frame of two tall windows, cut off at the head and blocked, with a secondary
doorway to a destroyed stair lobby in the angle. This would have given access to the upper floor of
the cross wing. It is not known if the South doorway is the principle of subsidiary approach to the
hall, but plinth cessation by that doorway would suggest that there may have been a porch; possibly
timber framed balancing the stair projection. The jamb and arch springing of the first of the screen
doorways still survives as does the ground floor entry from the hall dais to the cross wing. Although
the hall and gardens are now privately owned, you can see the 14th century farm from the bottom of
Red Hill Road.
In addition to this, the Hall was also the home of Sir John Stanley. Both Storeton Hall and Sir John
Stanley are strongly connected with Sir Gawain and the Green Knight from the famous 14th century
poem which is full of Norse dialect words.
Wirral’s Viking expert Professor Stephen Harding is a descendant of Sir John Stanley (1350-1414),
Knight of the Garter and Master Forester of the Wirral and thought to be the poet or the patron of the
poet. The poem tells how a Knight dressed in green arrives at the Court of King Arthur and issues a
challenge to a dual. The rules of the contest are strange: only 2 strikes of the sword with the
contestant having the first strike, the Green Knight the second a year later at a place called the Green
Chapel. Sir Gawain steps forward and agrees to honour the rather absurd rules. Taking the first
strike he takes off the head of the Green Knight who then to everyone’s surprise picks his head up
and disappears, reminding Gawain of the rules of the contest. The poem then tells how Sir Gawain
spends a year in search of the Knight, travelling through “the wilderness of Wirral” until reaching the
Green Chapel, where the Green Knight spares him for honouring the rules. Experts have connected
not only the Stanley family with the poem but also Storeton Hall with the mythical Green Chapel.
Professor Harding explained “the poem is remarkable not only because of its strong association with
the area but also because of the large number of Scandinavian dialect words in it - words like karp (to
boast or chatter), renk (knight), storr (big/large) and gate (street, track), and is quite different from
Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales written at the same time but in the King’s English. It indicates that a
strong Norse dialect was still being spoken here hundreds of years after the initial Viking settlements.
Storeton is itself a Viking name ‘the large farmstead’”.
Currently Steve is trying develop Wirral’s and Chester’s Viking heritage due to start in July 2007 with
the introduction of a 22 mile annual Viking “Olsok” walk / pilgrimage between the Viking churches of
St. Bridget’s at West Kirby and St Olave’s at Chester. The other plans still under consideration include
the construction of a Viking centre in Wirral and one at St Olave’s, the erection of a statue of Wirral’s
famous Viking leader Ingimund, and also the creation of a Wirral Viking Heritage trail with Storeton
becoming an important focal point. Local MP Ben Chapman said:
“This is another remarkable example of the areas strong Viking Heritage, but very few people at the
moment know about it and insufficient has been done to take a thematic or linked approach to this unique
aspect of Wirral’s Viking heritage. It is reassuring to hear that Steve is working with the local Councils to
at last help develop this Heritage and I would like to offer my strongest support. It would be fantastic for
Wirral if this project could be realised. Since Wirral South includes sites like Bromborough Court House,
candidate site for ‘Bruna’s’ fortress and nearby ‘war graves’, the ancient battle site at Bebington Heath,
favoured by experts as the site of the Battle of Brunanburh, the beautiful Raby Mere, the old boundary of
Norse Wirral, and the Viking Cross at St Barnabas Church to name a few, I expect it to provide a
considerable component to any trail”.
These developments would provide a valuable Education resource and local Leisure activity and would
form a major tourist attraction and economic return.
know that it exists. One thing that is certain is that the old hall is steeped in history. The Halls first
known tenant was Sir William Stanley in 1360, although it shows signs of earlier occupation and It is
alleged that the nephew of King Arthur resided at the hall. Sir William Stanley was born in 1337, he
was knighted in 1352 and died in June 1398. At the time of his death he was Lord of Stourton
(Storeton), Puddington and Stanlegh in Staffordshire. There was a strong rumour that the hall
belonged to Alan Sylvester who was granted the stewardship of the Forrest of Wirral by the Earl of
Chester in 1120. However the current Hall does not fit the correct era and therefore proves this
theory incorrect. It is likely that Alan Sylvesters family hall complex occupied a site near by, which as
yet it remains unfound.
The Hall was built out of stone quarried from the local area. The remains of Storeton Hall are now
incorporated into Storeton Hall farm buildings, and less than half of the original medieval building now
survives above ground. We know this because the plan was recovered in the 19th century by Edward
Cox. The plan clearly shows a large stone building with a central great hall and slightly projecting
wings to the north and south. There was a service court yard adjoining the south wing and a strong
porch on the East., protecting the main entrance. Such as complex building is usually provided with
an outer defense wall or moat, but if an outer defence existed here there are no remains left today.
The original hall was of hall and cross wings plan with extensions from both wings. The part that
survives is the East wall of the Hall and the whole of the 2 storeyed upper cross wing and extension.
The walls were utilised for stable purposes in the 19th century.. The outer wall of the hall was
incorporated in part of an elongated farm range so that what the visitor sees is the length of its
exposed inner face. It extends from the stub of the screen wall to the common wall of the cross wing
and the torn stonework of the west wall giving a total area of approx 40 by 24 feet (960‘²) which is
now completely concreted over. The outer walls stands for about two thirds of its height with the
protected outer face more clearly showing its original form. The original entrance was at it south end
and is now blocked up. This originally had a two centred head, hood and rear arch. The body of the
wall is filled by the frame of two tall windows, cut off at the head and blocked, with a secondary
doorway to a destroyed stair lobby in the angle. This would have given access to the upper floor of
the cross wing. It is not known if the South doorway is the principle of subsidiary approach to the
hall, but plinth cessation by that doorway would suggest that there may have been a porch; possibly
timber framed balancing the stair projection. The jamb and arch springing of the first of the screen
doorways still survives as does the ground floor entry from the hall dais to the cross wing. Although
the hall and gardens are now privately owned, you can see the 14th century farm from the bottom of
Red Hill Road.
In addition to this, the Hall was also the home of Sir John Stanley. Both Storeton Hall and Sir John
Stanley are strongly connected with Sir Gawain and the Green Knight from the famous 14th century
poem which is full of Norse dialect words.
Wirral’s Viking expert Professor Stephen Harding is a descendant of Sir John Stanley (1350-1414),
Knight of the Garter and Master Forester of the Wirral and thought to be the poet or the patron of the
poet. The poem tells how a Knight dressed in green arrives at the Court of King Arthur and issues a
challenge to a dual. The rules of the contest are strange: only 2 strikes of the sword with the
contestant having the first strike, the Green Knight the second a year later at a place called the Green
Chapel. Sir Gawain steps forward and agrees to honour the rather absurd rules. Taking the first
strike he takes off the head of the Green Knight who then to everyone’s surprise picks his head up
and disappears, reminding Gawain of the rules of the contest. The poem then tells how Sir Gawain
spends a year in search of the Knight, travelling through “the wilderness of Wirral” until reaching the
Green Chapel, where the Green Knight spares him for honouring the rules. Experts have connected
not only the Stanley family with the poem but also Storeton Hall with the mythical Green Chapel.
Professor Harding explained “the poem is remarkable not only because of its strong association with
the area but also because of the large number of Scandinavian dialect words in it - words like karp (to
boast or chatter), renk (knight), storr (big/large) and gate (street, track), and is quite different from
Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales written at the same time but in the King’s English. It indicates that a
strong Norse dialect was still being spoken here hundreds of years after the initial Viking settlements.
Storeton is itself a Viking name ‘the large farmstead’”.
Currently Steve is trying develop Wirral’s and Chester’s Viking heritage due to start in July 2007 with
the introduction of a 22 mile annual Viking “Olsok” walk / pilgrimage between the Viking churches of
St. Bridget’s at West Kirby and St Olave’s at Chester. The other plans still under consideration include
the construction of a Viking centre in Wirral and one at St Olave’s, the erection of a statue of Wirral’s
famous Viking leader Ingimund, and also the creation of a Wirral Viking Heritage trail with Storeton
becoming an important focal point. Local MP Ben Chapman said:
“This is another remarkable example of the areas strong Viking Heritage, but very few people at the
moment know about it and insufficient has been done to take a thematic or linked approach to this unique
aspect of Wirral’s Viking heritage. It is reassuring to hear that Steve is working with the local Councils to
at last help develop this Heritage and I would like to offer my strongest support. It would be fantastic for
Wirral if this project could be realised. Since Wirral South includes sites like Bromborough Court House,
candidate site for ‘Bruna’s’ fortress and nearby ‘war graves’, the ancient battle site at Bebington Heath,
favoured by experts as the site of the Battle of Brunanburh, the beautiful Raby Mere, the old boundary of
Norse Wirral, and the Viking Cross at St Barnabas Church to name a few, I expect it to provide a
considerable component to any trail”.
These developments would provide a valuable Education resource and local Leisure activity and would
form a major tourist attraction and economic return.
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