A new Dawn

‘The Real Housewives of Cheshire’s’ Dawn Ward attempts to sell her tastelessly decorated “Footballers’ Wives-style” home for £12 million

Cheshire supposedly has more Rolls-Royces and Bentleys per square mile than anywhere else in Britain and consequently its house prices are astounding also too. A particularly fine example comes in the form of Warford Hall, the home of former footballer Ashley Ward and his interior designer wife Dawn. They are currently trying to sell the property for £12 million.

Dawn Ward has some 30,000 followers on Twitter and describes herself as “currently starring in The Real Housewives of Cheshire”. She has designed homes for Abbey Clancy and Peter Crouch, Katie Price and Wayne and Colleen Rooney and currently runs firms BWD Interiors and Bilton Ward Developments from an office wing at Warford Hall. Ward is typical of the new breed of wealth found in Cheshire and, in a recent interview with The Mirror, showed such when she commented: “I always wanted to be rich… I wouldn’t fancy being poor… It’s like we’re ashamed of success in this country. I’m not ashamed”.

Life hasn’t always been so easy for the couple. In 2009, the Mail Online reported that Bilton Ward Developments was entered into a Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA) with debts of £1.3 million. Allowed to continue trading, Ashley Ward commented:

“Every client who has signed a contract with us knew about the CVA. We are confident we can move forward. I would not have put my own money into it if I wasn’t confident”.

His wife added:

“Bilton Ward is not going to go under. There was a company which owed us a million pounds. We took them to court and the day before court they went into liquidation”.

The location of Mr and Mrs Ward’s annual Crème de la Crème Ball since 2009, Warford Hall was built to the designs of W. Roberts in 1867 for a Mr J. C. Rowley. Constructed in the Italianate style in Cheshire red brick and Alderley Edge stone, the mansion was subsequently converted into a call centre and was in a somewhat “neglected condition” when the Wards purchased it.

Redesigned by Dawn Ward in what has been termed “Footballers’ Wives-style”, Warford Hall – which stands in a paltry 12.25 acres – now features 7 reception rooms, 11 bedrooms and 10 bathrooms. The house is packed with expensive features and comes complete with a cinema room, games room, bar room and a communications room. There are also “numerous offices”, staff accommodation and a 6-car garage. Included in the sale price are designs for a “leisure suite” that will be built to the buyers’ specifications by Bilton Ward Developments.

Of the somewhat ugly Victorian house, Mrs Ward told The Mirror:

“Seriously, it’s a very big house and there are only so many lounges and things you can have and I really wanted a spray-tan booth… I’m a workaholic so for me to go to a beauty salon or ­hairdressers, it’s half an hour by the time you are in the car and go there, half an hour back, so I save an hour”.

“People can judge and comment, but if you can afford a housekeeper… It’s a little bit like some people can afford to go to Toni & Guy, some people can’t”.

Trying to describe Warford Hall in more practical terms, selling agent Crispin Harris from Jackson-Stops & Staff’s Wilmslow office told PrimeLocationBlog’s Cheryl Markosky:

“You can’t really find a better location. Warford Hall’s in a hamlet on the outskirts of Alderley Edge and you’re only a four-minute walk from the popular Bar & Grill in the town’s centre”.

“I think the purchaser will be someone who’s sold his company and wants something really special as a reward for doing so well. Or, it could be the next signing for Manchester United. You never know”.

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