Wilbraham Egerton 1781-1856

It was during Wilbraham Egerton’s ownership of Tatton Park that the Neo-Classical house, begun by his father William, was completed.

Wilbraham married his cousin Elizabeth Sykes (1777–1853) in 1806. Their union proved very fruitful for Tatton Park with six sons and two daughters born between the years 1806 and 1824. 

The couple furnished and decorated the Mansion house in the latest and most elegant style, commissioning over 200 pieces of furniture from the firm of Gillows of Lancaster. Gillows furniture can be seen throughout the Mansion and styles vary from one room to another.

In the Music Room for example, the furniture has a distinctly Grecian feel and is decorated with boulle work, which is wood inlaid with delicate brass tracery. In the Drawing Room the furniture is much more exuberant in the Rococo styling of the sofas and chairs.

Wilbraham Egerton purchased many of the Mansion’s collection of fine, Old Master paintings.  He had a particular eye for quality and bought the Van Dyck, Chardin and Poussin paintings for Tatton.

Visiting private sales of collections and country house sales such as that of Horace Walpole’s collection at Strawberry Hill, he and his wife Elizabeth were keen to acquire paintings, fine books and ceramics. Wilbraham was an MP for Cheshire.