Prior
to coming into public ownership, Watling Gate was the residence of the Newton
family. The house occupies what was originally the family estate of c.25 acres,
called Timperley Park. The house itself was built in 1904 at a cost of
£2,500.
Most of the land was sold for housing development in the 1920s, with only the house and a small plot of land surrounding it being retained by the family. Shortly after the township amalgamated with Altrincham Urban District Council, Lt Col CE Newton, the last male member of the family, bequeathed the house and land to the newly-created Altincham Borough Council in around 1937.
In 1938 Altincham Borough Council resolved to utilize the premises as a public art gallery and museum with separate, self-contained living acccommodation units for the use of the chief librarian and a resident caretaker, and also to develop the grounds as a public park, to be called Newton Park.
Following internal modification, the art collection and museum exhibits from the old Altrincham Urban District Council were transferred from Altrincham and housed, together with the Newton Collection of museum exhibits, in the new Watling Gate Art Gallery and Museum.
The building was officially opened on 23rd August 1939, by the Mayor of the new borough, Alderman W Waterhouse.
