Description

SD 63SW SAMLESBURY PRESTON NEW ROAD

2/98 Samlesbury Hall
25.7.1952 (Formerly listed as Samlesbury Old Hall)

- I

Large house, C14 and C16 for Southworth family, lords of manor. Formerly
moated site believed to have contained a courtyard surrounded by 4
ranges of building, of which those remaining formed the west and part of
the north sides. Great Hall, on north side, is possibly that built
c. 1322-30 to replace Old Hall (burnt in Scots raid of 1322), but is said
to have characteristics of later date, and is given by Pevsner as C15;
west wing is early to mid-C16; some restoration in C19. All on stone
plinth; hall is cruck framed, 4 bays, single storey with 2-storey oriel
close to the junction with west wing, which is box-framed of 4 bays and
two storeys. Surface of end and inner walls of wing, (and upper level
of oriel) filled with black and white quatrefoil pattern, topped by
embattled wall plate from which springs coving to eaves; 3 original 1st
floor oriels with carved wooded sills (4 C19 windows and entrance porch
at ground floor); slate roof. South wall of hall has early C16 polygonal
oriel with oblong gabled upper level, but is otherwise c. 1865 restoration:
herringbone timber framing with 2 windows inserted at upper level, and
original entrance to 4th bay blocked and concealed; gable has original
herringbone timber framing. The rear walls of both parts differ from the
fronts: rear of hall is C16 rubble with very large external 3-stage
chimney flanked at 2nd stage by small 2-light windows; rear of wing is C16
red brick with some diaper patterning, incorporating on both floors tall
stone mullion windows with cinquefoil lights, and one at south end with
C15 tracery (said to have been taken from Whalley Abbey); and has 3
external chimneys, the largest being of stone almost to eaves level, all
topped by tall diagonally shafted flues. (This wing was extended to the
north by 2 bays in matching style and materials in C19). Interior of hall:
originally 5 full cruck trusses, the first 2 altered when north wall and
oriel were constructed in early C16, one forming east wall with herringbone
struts, the other composed of full blades, arch-braced collar supporting
braced king strut rising to an upper collar (that in the centre also has
raking struts, a 3rd collar, and is cross braced); each blade carries 2
moulded through-purlins with cusped wind braces. Until c. 1830 upper
(west) end of hall had dais with coved canopy, flanked by moulded speres
and low cusp-headed doorways, and lower end a moveable oak screen very
elaborately carved (like that of Rufford) but c. 1840 the canopy was
replaced by a "minstrels' gallery" incorporating dismembered parts of the
screen, principally its middle rail (carved with name Thomas Southworth
and date 1532) and its 3 barbarically carved pinnacles which now rise from
front of gallery to embattled cross beam with vine leaf frieze, originally
head of canopy; spere posts and doorways remain. Interior of west wing
includes former chapel rising through both floors at south end, with
gallery; entrance hall (with C19 staircase); a parlour or dining room
with stone chimney piece; carved on the head "Thomas Sothworth HB T IR A°
DNI Mo CCCCCLV"; and ante room; and at 1st floor a long chamber which has
moulded stone fireplace. Both floors have exceptionally fine heavily
moulded wall posts, beams, and tie beams, carved wall plates, spandrels
and arch bracing, though the construction is not uniform and there is
evidence of some alterations. Comparable with the few other major examples
of late medieval timber-framed halls in the region (e.go Ordsall, Rufford,
Smithills, Speke). (VCH Lanes; Pevsner; W.J. Smith Archaeological Journal
1969; R, Eaton History of Samlesbury 1936; A. Croston History of Lancashire
1888, and Samlesbury Hall 1871; A. Rimmer Historic Society of Lancs and
Cheshire 1851).

Listing NGR: SD6235930481

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Samlesbury Hall at Wikipedia
• Samlesbury Hall official website
• Wikidata Q3470874

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  A Buying and Owning a Listed Building: A Brief Guide
• 
  Department for Communities Listed Historic Buildings of Northern Ireland: Information Guide for the 2nd Survey of Historic Buildings
• 
  Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Surrey (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Lancashire: Liverpool and the South-West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)