Category Archives: Tudor Lancashire
St Michaels on Wyre Church
St Michael’s Church is old enough to be mentioned in the Domesday Book as ‘Michelescherce’. Bounded by the River Wyre, it has been called St Michaels-on-Wyre since the 1100s. The earliest parts of the present building are Norman, as can be evidenced by the … Continue reading
Smithills Hall, Bolton
In 1335 William de Radcliffe acquired the manor of Smithills. During the early years there would only have been the medieval Great Hall on the site, which still exists there today. It is a large rectangular stone building and in here the family and … Continue reading
Radcliffe Tower, Radcliffe near Bury
After the Norman Conquest of England, Nicholas FitzGilbert de Tabois was given confiscated Saxon manor land in the present day Radcliffe area. He took the name ‘de Radclyffe’ (which means of Radcliffe) and his descendants continued to live in the area for hundreds of years. … Continue reading
Lydiate Abbey, the Church of St Catherine, Lydiate
The ruined church of St Catherine is known locally as Lydiate Abbey. It was never a real abbey, but was the private chapel built by the Ireland family of Lydiate Hall, sometime around 1470s. It was built for husband and wife Laurence and Katherine Ireland. Made from sandstone, it … Continue reading
Lydiate Hall ruins, Lydiate, West Lancashire
The original Lydiate Hall was built by Lawrence Ireland sometime in the 15oos. He had exchanged his land at Garston (near Liverpool) for estates at Lydiate and Maghull. The original hall he built was a single range, possibly made of stone. By the late … Continue reading
Leyland’s Tudor Grammar School, South Ribble Museum
In 1524 Sir Henry Farington gave money for a chantry to Leyland Parish Church. This was a form of trust fund to pay a priest to say regular prayers for Farington after his death. The endowment also set up a school within the church, which … Continue reading
Posted in Tudor Lancashire
Tagged Faringtons of Leyland, Leyland Grammar School, South Ribble Museum
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Samlesbury Hall, Samlesbury, near Preston
Samlesbury Hall was constructed by the Southworth family around 1425, but there may well have been an earlier hall on or nearby the present site. The person responsible for much of the main fabric of what we see today was Sir Thomas … Continue reading
Wycoller Hall, Wycoller Country Park, near Colne
The ruins of Wycoller Hall are the standing remains of a house with a lot of history, that has been continually added to and rebuilt over many years. Towards the end of this blog is a short guide, describing what can be … Continue reading
St Helen’s Well and Cross, Whittle le Woods
St Helen’s Well was a much visited site for hundreds of years. Local people would collect spring water from it and also deposit offerings of metal pins. Destroyed in 1968, the well has not been restored, but is now marked by a celtic stone cross and … Continue reading
Astley Hall, Astley, near Chorley
The first part of this grand hall was built sometime after 1576 by the Charnock family, when their original home in nearby Charnock Richard burnt down. Astley Hall today contains Tudor, Stuart and Georgian architecture that reflects the times and building tastes of … Continue reading
