Abney Hall pokers

Abney Hall in Cheadle, Stockport belonged to James Watts, a leading entrepreneur and business man in the Manchester region, and Mayor of Manchester. He visited the Great Exhibition in 1851 and was greatly impressed with the Medieval Court, commissioning Pugin and his team to redesign the interiors of Abney Hall. It is believed that the Abney Hall commission could have been Pugin's last major commission before his death in 1852. The pokers and stands will be on display in the Stockport Story Museum with other material from Abney Hall including inventory photographs of the Abney Hall interiors from 1912 showing the pokers in position. The pokers will also be used as part of the Heritage Open Days when Abney Hall is opened to the public.