page_title: Rowton Hall Hotel
section_title: Early residents
hierarchical_section_title: Rowton Hall Hotel / Early residents
caption_attribution_description: English: Tithe Map of Rowton Hall 1847
context_page_description: Rowton Hall Hotel is a historic stately home, now run as a hotel in Rowton, Cheshire, England. The hall was originally built in the 14th century and was rebuilt in 1779 in the Georgian style. The Battle of Rowton Heath took place in the grounds in 1643. It contains the oak-panelled Langdale Restaurant.
context_section_description: Ralph Hignett (1717-1787) built Rowton Hall in 1779. The Hignett family had owned the Rowton estate since 1600 and one member of this family, William Hignett had been killed in the Battle of Rowton Heath in 1645 when he was fighting for Charles I of England.
  Ralph built the Hall in 1779 as a residence for himself. He had not married but was interested in community affairs assisting with the building of the Charity School in Christleton. As he had no heirs when he died in 1787 he left Rowton Hall to his brother John Hignett for the term of his life and then after that to his nephew John Litherland on the condition that he change his name to Hignett. John died in 1819 and he left the property to his nephew William Hignett.
  William Hignett (1788-1837) was born in 1788 in Liverpool. He married twice and from the time he inherited Rowton Hall he lived there with his family. In 1835 he advertised the property for sale. The advertisement can be seen here. Soon after this it was bought by the Tomkinson sisters. 
  Anna Maria Tomkinson (1771-1850) and Frances Beatrix Tomkinson (1774-1850) were the daughters of Henry Tomkinson of Dorfold Hall in Nantwich. They were born at Dorfold Hall and spent most of their lives there. When their father Henry died in 1822 they both inherited large amounts of money. They were generous contributors to charitable causes in Christleton and were interested in developing the garden at Rowton Hall. The 1841 Census shows them living there with twelve servants. They both died in 1850 within a few months of each other and they left the Hall to their younger brother William Tomkinson (1790-1872). He did not live there but instead rented it to various tenants including William Ferguson Currie (1828-1866). In 1871 the property was advertised for sale. The advertisement is shown below.
caption: Map of Rowton Hall in 1847 when it was owned by the Tomkinson sisters
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