The building dates from the 16th century, with later additions and alterations. In the 19th century its exterior was stuccoed and castellated. Later in the century a billiard room and a service wing were added. The house is constructed in brick on a stone plinth, with a half-timbered core.[1]Pevsner describes it as a "modest C16 house [which] was absorbed into an early C18 one, which was brought up to date in the late C18 with castellations, a fine fanlight, and fashionable Roman cement".[2]
Manchester Corporation replaced a "good medieval timber roof" in the stable block with a steel roof.[1]
In 1811 Mr Pearson, a silk manufacturer, was living at Buglawton Hall.[4] In 1883 the owner of the house was Fanny Pearson, a widow, who died that year.[5] One of Fanny Pearson's daughters, Julia Pearson, married Charles William Doherty, who was the son of the Chief League of Justice of Ireland, John Doherty, who was a relation to the UK's shortest serving prime minister George Canning. Together they had children, including their daughter Madelaine Doherty, who was believed to be the last owner of Buglawton Hall.[6]
In 1947 there was discussion about the local authority buying the building for use as a grammar school.[7] In 1950 it was purchased by Manchester City Council.[8] The school was opened in 1954 as a school for maladjusted children.[9][10] The school was residential and had the capacity to take 41 children.[11]
In 2000 Ofsted found the school, which was by then termed a Special school for children with Emotional and behaviour disorder, to be Effective.[11]
In 2006 Ofsted found the school to be Good, though noted that the boarding accommodation was in a poor condition.[12]
In 2008 Ofsted judged the school to be Inadequate and requiring Special Measures.[13] They listed, amongst other issues, that there was no headteacher in post and therefore management and oversight were poor; behaviour management was inconsistent; children did not make enough progress to make up for previous poor attainment; there were safety issues; and there was no recording of disciplinary sanctions taken against children or of occasions when children were restrained.[13] As a result of this, in 2009 the executive principal was sacked.[14]
In 2011 Ofsted judged the school to be Satisfactory and it came out of Special Measures.[15]
In 2013 Ofsted again judged the school as Inadequate and requiring Special Measures.[16] There were serious concerns about leadership, governance, behaviour management and children's safety, and teaching required improvement.[16] In addition, "serious allegations of a child protection nature were being investigated by the appropriate authorities".[16]
In 2014 Ofsted judged the school as Good and no longer requiring Special Measures.[17]
In 2017 the local authority decided to close the school; it had 14 pupils at this point and some of the buildings were disused or not fit for purpose.[8][18][19] In 2018 the school was closed.[9]
