The history of this house and its owners is a little unsure although popular local belief is that at one time a French Count and his seven sons lived there for six months of each year.  The remaining six months of the year were spent on their estates in France, during which time he left a Housekeeper in charge.  Legend has it that the Count returned unexpectedly and found the whole of the staff having a great party, no doubt in the beautiful ballroom, which the house possessed.  It is to be hoped they all had a really good time, as the outcome of their adventure was that they were all dismissed and the house subsequently sold.

The only photograph we have of what was a lovely old house. We apologise for its lack of clarity but hope this will give you an idea of what the building looked like from the front. The large building on the left was the Maternity Wing which was built by The Salvation Army following their occupancy in the 1920's.

In times prior to purchase by The Salvation Army, it is thought possible that the house was owned by a German industrialist.  To date Bramley History Society has been unable to corroborate these stories, although certainly the French Count and his connection with the house is such a well-known story we feel there must be some truth in his existence; certainly during the 19th century.

Many of us will, no doubt, remember this lovely, old, stone-built detached house as being where The Salvation Army provided accommodation and care for unmarried mothers when they took over the house in the 1920’s.  This, of course, is true.  Most of the babies born there were adopted.

In more recent times we have seen the demolition and disappearance of the original, early Victorian built house with its huge bay windows, two-entrance driveway and Beech tree sitting in the circle formed by the driveway itself.

The custom-built Maternity Wing, has also been demolished.

The Salvation Army used to hold an annual Garden Party during their occupation of the premises, which was always well attended.  One could get a real taste of the grandeur of the place, the gardens of which housed large greenhouses on one side and stables on the other. They had beautifully laid out gardens (especially the Rose Garden) and a big coach house alongside the large gates, which lead to the back of the house itself.  The back, by contrast to the front of the building, was a very higgledy-piggledy sort of place; there being many landings with rooms leading off and a variety of different size and shape of window looking outwards.  The stone had become blackened with age and with the help of the heavy industry in the Leeds area when chimneys used to belch out thick, black, poisonous and evil smelling smoke, which permeated the whole area.

New buildings have been added more recently to the side of where the old house stood, where mothers and their children, needing a safe place to live away from the threat of abuse, have found a home.  This good work continues today.

On the 25th May 2004, and on the original site of Mount Cross, a Day Nursery was officially opened for very young children living in the area.  This is known as ‘Copper Beech Day Nursery’, named after that lovely old tree planted all those years ago, and almost on the same spot too.  When planning the new building it was decided that again there would be a circular drive leading down to the one main entrance on Broad Lane, and this is now in evidence.

2006.