It was during the years following 1861 that the Burslem and Tunstall Freehold Land Society offered for sale, plots of land, totalling 9 acres, which subsequently were built upon to create the most northernly part of Basford as we know it today.
Basford immediately became a very desirable place of residence for the affluent pottery owners and the properties reflected this wealth.
In 1880 Mr William George Cowlishaw, a local industrialist built the property to be known as Temple House on plots 77 to 80 which like so many of the properties was designed to house a large family with servants. Whilst in residence he and his wife Elizabeth raised a family of two sons and six daughters.
The Cowlishaw family lived a prosperous life and were well respected in the Staffordshire area. Mr Cowlishaw constructed the first tramways in Brussels during the Franco-German war, then on returning home founded his own engineering company Messrs Cowlishaw, Walker and Company Limited.
Misfortune struck the family in 1915, when the youngest son, Colin was killed in action during the First World War at the famous "Hill 60", whilst serving in the 1st-5th North Staffords Regiment.
Tragedy again struck in 1921 when Mr Cowlishaw in his 70th year contracted appendicitus. An operation was performed in the "Wainscote" Room on the billiard table, but it failed to save him and he died 3 days later.
In 1953 when Mrs Cowlishaw died and the house became vacant, Haydon House was purchased by the "Machin" family. It was decided during the late 1970's that the house would be well suited as a local hotel, where guests could recapture the atmosphere of the house as it was in bygone days. The Haydon House Hotel opened for business on 2nd June 1980.