Richard Harding Watt

Driving to Macclesfield the other day, we found our way closed with a diversion in place. On the edge of Knutsford we were diverted onto Legh Road, a road we had not driven down before. We soon realised that the houses on this leafy, residential road are rather special. At first glance they look like they have been collected from around the world and dropped on this Cheshire town.

Our interest was piqued and the story of this road is one of English eccentricity. In the late 19th century Richard Harding Watt was a glove merchant who fancied himself as a house designer. Working with established architects he created his unusual buildings.

Having returned from working overseas he decided to settle in Knutsford and to design a home for himself. Over a period of 12 years he designed a number of other houses on Legh Road - each one more eccentric than the last.

Each house was unique and their designs seemed random, picking up cues from Spain, Italy, Russia, the Far East and other places. Watt liked to collect architectural features from demolition sites and incorporate them into his house designs. One of his houses even incorporated the former entrance lodge of Manchester Royal Infirmary.

He seemed particularly keen on cupolas, belvederes and towers. In fact, his final and best known project was Gaskell Tower, in the centre of Knutsford.

Today most of his houses are Grade II listed and regarded as important. The heritage listing describes them as ‘a series of eccentric buildings which are of considerable interest and importance.’

Not everyone agrees. Sir Nicklaus Pevsner described Legh Road as ‘the maddest sequence of villas in all England.’