Dunham Massey is in the historic county of Cheshire, but since 1974 has been part of Trafford Metropolitan Borough; the nearest town is Altrincham.

The manor of Dunham is recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as having belonged to Aelfward, a Saxon thegn, before the Norman Conquest and to Hamo de Masci afterwards.

The Masseys remained lords of Dunham and its environs until the 14th century, when the family's male line became extinct.

Probably during the medieval period, Dunham Massey Hall became the home of the manorial lord, and a centre of power in the area.

[4] The area was flooded overnight on New Year’s Eve 2024 when the Bridgewater Canal was breached following heavy rain.

[5][6] The present hall was built in 1616 by Sir George Booth, who received one of the first baronetcies to be created by James I in 1611; it was remodelled by John Norris for his descendant, George, 2nd Earl of Warrington between 1732 and 1740; it was further altered by John Hope towards the end of the 18th century and again by Joseph Compton Hall between 1905 and 1908.

Inside is a significant collection of Huguenot silver, the carving The Crucifixion by 17th-century wood carver Grinling Gibbons, and a white marble bust of the Emperor Hadrian; the head is antique, but the neck and shoulders are 18th-century; it was probably acquired by George, Earl of Stamford and Warrington.

The hall's collection of paintings include Allegory with Venus, Mars, Cupid and Time by Guercino; The Cascade at Terni by Louis Ducros; and portraits by William Beechey, Francis Cotes, Michael Dahl, A. R. Mengs, Sir Joshua Reynolds, George Romney, Enoch Seeman, and Zoffany.

[4][12] The Councillors for Bowdon Ward are Sean Anstee, Karen Barclay, and Michael Hyman, all members of the Conservative Party.

Since the formation of the Altrincham and Sale West constituency in 1997, it has been represented in the House of Commons by the Conservative MP, Graham Brady.

[14] Dunham Massey lies to the east of Warburton, and to the west of Bowdon, with Altrincham approximately 2 miles (3 km) to the northeast.

The local geology is lower keuper marl, with a ridge of sand and gravel running from Dunham to Warburton.

The site is a semi-natural wood consisting mainly of ash, birch, and rowan, with a wetland habitat and several marl pits, which have flooded to form ponds.

[20] There are many listed residences in Dunham Massey, most dating from the 18th or early-19th century, and many feature Flemish bond brickwork and slate roofs.

[28] Big Tree House, on Charcoal Road, dates from the mid-18th century and features English bond brickwork.

[32] The Meadows, on School Lane, was built in the 17th century and features garden wall bond brickwork and a thatched roof.

[36] Manor Farmhouse, on Station Road, was built by George Booth, 2nd Earl of Warrington; the building dates from the mid-18th century and features both Flemish and garden wall bond brickwork.

[38] The barn on Woodhouse Lane dates from the early 18th century and features garden wall bond brickwork, a slate roof, and upper cruck frames.

[47] The stable buildings,[48] the slaughterhouse,[49] the deer house,[50] the orangery,[51] and an ashlar shelter to the west of the hall,[52] all date from the 17th or 18th century.