Oakfield (Headquarters of Chester Zoo)
OAKFIELD (HEADQUARTERS OF CHESTER ZOO), CAUGHALL ROAD
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1230120
- Date first listed:
- 27-Nov-1984
- List Entry Name:
- Oakfield (Headquarters of Chester Zoo)
- Statutory Address:
- OAKFIELD (HEADQUARTERS OF CHESTER ZOO), CAUGHALL ROAD
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Location
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Images of England Project
- Date:
- 2006-09-11
- Reference:
- IOE01/15257/30
- Rights:
- © Mr Graham R. Heasman. Source: Historic England Archive
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1230120
- Date first listed:
- 27-Nov-1984
- List Entry Name:
- Oakfield (Headquarters of Chester Zoo)
- Statutory Address 1:
- OAKFIELD (HEADQUARTERS OF CHESTER ZOO), CAUGHALL ROAD
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- OAKFIELD (HEADQUARTERS OF CHESTER ZOO), CAUGHALL ROAD
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- District:
- Cheshire West and Chester (Unitary Authority)
- Parish:
- Upton-by-Chester
- National Grid Reference:
- SJ 41404 70158
Details
SJ 47 SW UPTON-BY-CHESTER C.P. CAUGHALL ROAD (West Side)
2/38 Oakfield (Headquarters of Chester Zoo).
-
GV II
Formerly large house, now offices and restaurant: short wing c1885 by E A Ould, remainder rebuilt 1892 by H Beswick, all for B Chaffers Roberts, some C20 alterations. English garden wall bond Ruabon brick with blue brick diapering and red sandstone dressings. Welsh slate roof and 4 brick chimneys with Tudor-style stacks. 2 and 2½-storey, 4-bay west front. Left 2 bays are earlier parts with canted, castellated 2-storey bay window with mullioned and transomed windows in coped and finialled dormers above. To right is a projecting gabled porch with shaped and coped gable with a griffin finial. Doorcase with basket-arched head. Similar windows to remainder but with basket-arched and ogee heads to the lights. Longer south garden front in similar style of 3 different projecting coped gabled masses. Interior: Boardroom with fielded mahogany panelling and carved wooden frieze. Wooden fireplace flanked by fluted pilasters and egg and dart moulding. Some stained glass in the style of Burne Jones. Staircase removed but arcade and balustrading survive upstairs. Room to left of hall has fielded mahogany panelling divided by pilasters. Pedimented doorcase with acanthus frieze. Panelled ceiling and massive chimney breast with motto on bressumer and on Tudor-style stone fireplace with De Morgan tiles.
The estate was bought by George Mottershead in 1930 to house his private animal collection which with the founding of the North of England Zoological Society in 1934 led to the present zoo, now the second largest in Britain.
Listing NGR: SJ4140470158
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 404826
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 04-Jun-2026 at 10:15:30.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
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