Exterior view

In 1725 Leoni made designs for Peter Legh’s Lyme Park, Ches, and between c. 1729 and 1735 he rebuilt the 16th-century house in progressive stages around its courtyard. The original Tudor mansion was transformed by Leoni into an Italian palazzo. The design was altered by English architect Lewis Wyatt’s 19th century addition of the box-like structure

The building’s pediment on the south elevation was raised above the roof-line (whereas Inigo Jones would have backed it with a raised attic or tall roof), but it crowns only three bays of a flat front (whereas Palladio would have reserved it for a projecting block). This combination of departures from currently accepted authorities had also been made by Colen Campbell. Within Lyme Park is a staircase with vase-shaped balusters - probably a deliberate Caroline revival - an archaism also employed by Campbell (at Houghton) and his follower Roger Morris at Marble Hill.