About The Club
Golf doesn't get much better than this...
Vale Royal Abbey is situated in a remote location in the Cheshire countryside with beautiful quiet surroundings; however, travel to the Club could not be easier as it is to be found only 2 miles from the A556, the main direct artery between Manchester and Chester. Postcode CW8 2BA.
Vale Royal Abbey golf course is playable virtually all year round. The drainage is so effective that the course seldom closes due to saturation or flooded greens. It is a major goal of the committed and conscientious Course Manager that there should never be winter tees. The temporary greens, which are better than the main greens of many courses, are only used when there is a risk of damage by frozen ground. Additionally, the fact that the course is only available for members and their guests means that individual members get more value for their money than members from most courses with much lower membership fees. The beautiful rural views of the varied and testing holes and fairways with integral lakes and pools, all set in the grounds of the magnificent Vale Royal Abbey, make this club amongst the very best in the North West
Vale Royal Abbey officially opened on October 1st 1998 and has since developed into one of the most desirable Clubs in the region. The Club is privately owned but operates as a traditional Members Golf Club with policies being agreed by the Club's Management Committee consisting of elected Members of the Club. The Club is exclusive to its Members and their guests and does not accept casual green fee paying visitors or golf societies. The Club is extremely friendly and relaxing and our Members are proud of the welcoming environment that is provided at all times.
We have pleasure in welcoming you to our web site and will be very pleased if you would browse the site, which will provide you with a further understanding of the Club and provide useful information for our Members and site visitors alike.
Location
Click for directions & A Map Of The Club's Location
Vale Royal Abbey is situated in a remote location in the Cheshire countryside with beautiful quiet surroundings; however, travel to the Club could not be easier as it is to be found only 2 miles from the A556, the main direct artery between Manchester and Chester. Postcode CW8 2BA.
The Driver Newsletter
Click to download The Driver (5Mb)
'The Driver' is the official newsletter of the Club and is printed three times each year.
Vale Royal Abbey History
Click for more views of the clubhouse
The Club is on the site of what was England's largest Cistercian Abbey, founded by Edward I, who in 1277 laid the first foundation stone. It took a further 53 years to complete the Abbey. When constructed, the Abbey was larger than Westminster Abbey.
In the 16th century, following Henry VIII's Reformation and Dissolution of the Monasteries Acts, Thomas Holdcroft purchased the estate for £450; he pulled down the Abbey and built the Great House.
In the 17th century, the Cholmondeley family purchased the house and in the 19th century, Thomas Cholmondeley, who was the 1st Lord Delamere, refurbished the house in Georgian style.
In the 20th century, Imperial Chemical Industries owned the property and used it as the headquarters of the Salt Division. Later it became the responsibility of Vale Royal Borough Council but was not used and fell into a severe state of disrepair.
In the 1990s the building and estate were sold to Golf Club Holdings Group with planning permission being granted to create the golf course, club house and develop / build a number of private dwellings in return for restoring the Great House, in particular the roof and the Great Hall, which now provides a superb Members' social facility.
The course opened in October 1998. The Great House was converted into the clubhouse and a number of private apartments, which adjoin the clubhouse, were also converted.
In 2001 Crown Sports Ltd purchased the Club and owned it until 2003, when they took the decision that golf clubs would no longer form part of their core business and divested themselves of all such assets to focus on leisure and hotel activities.
The present owners purchased the Club with what remains an ongoing commitment to operate the Club as a traditional Members' club, exclusive to Members and their guests, with the management of the Club being carried out by a Members' Committee structure based on R & A and EGU best practices.
Wedding, Banqueting and Conference facilities
Click here to view our "Wedding, Banqueting and Conference facilities"