Read Hall and Park
Encyclopedia
Read Hall and Park is a Manor House
and ornamental grounds of about 450 acres (182.1 ha) in Read, Lancashire
, England. The Hall dates from the early 18th century and is a grade II* listed building. Neither are open to the public.
Road, Read, a few miles west of Padiham
.
, a wealthy partner in a Sabden
Calico textile printing firm by the architect George Webster
of Kendal
when he was only 21 The landscaped grounds date from around the same time and features a waterfall, two lakes and woodland. There is also a rockery, rose garden and terrace and is a fountain and gardens near the house of about 25 acres (10.1 ha).
The current hall building is not the original structure. The old hall was the home of the Nowell family of which Roger Nowell held the estate in the 17th century. He was a magistrate at the time of the Lancashire Witches in 1612 and sent them to Lancaster
for trial and eventual execution. George Webster also built Underley Hall, Westmorland between 1825-1828 for Alexander Nowell.
Alexander Nowell was an English theologian in the Elizabethan age and also the inventor of bottled beer. Isaac Walton describes the story in the "Complete Angler".
The rest of the park includes Home Farm and Lodge in Whalley Road, both by Webster at the same time. Home Farm was built as a model farm
, and converted into living accommodation in the 20th century.
Manor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
and ornamental grounds of about 450 acres (182.1 ha) in Read, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, England. The Hall dates from the early 18th century and is a grade II* listed building. Neither are open to the public.
Location
The house and grounds are in WhalleyWhalley, Lancashire
Whalley is a large village in the Ribble Valley on the banks of the River Calder in Lancashire, England. It is overlooked by Whalley Nab, a large picturesque wooded hill over the river from the village....
Road, Read, a few miles west of Padiham
Padiham
Padiham is a small town and civil parish on the River Calder, about west of Burnley and south of Pendle Hill, in Lancashire, England. It is part of the Borough of Burnley but also has its own town council with varied powers.-History:...
.
History
The house dates from ca. 1800–1810. The current hall was built for John FortJohn Fort (MP)
John Fort was a Whig politician in England who sat in the House of Commons from 1832 to 1841.He was elected at the 1832 general election as the Member of Parliament for the borough of Clitheroe in Lancashire, and held the seat until he stood down from Parliament at the 1841 general election.-...
, a wealthy partner in a Sabden
Sabden
Sabden is a village and civil parish in Ribble Valley, and the Forest of Pendle, Lancashire.-Location:Sabden is located south of Pendle Hill, in a valley about north-west of Padiham.-Demographics:In the 2001 census, Sabden had a population of 1,371....
Calico textile printing firm by the architect George Webster
George Webster (architect)
George Webster was born in Kendal, Westmorland, England in 1797, son to Francis Webster, a prominent local stonemason turned architect...
of Kendal
Kendal
Kendal, anciently known as Kirkby in Kendal or Kirkby Kendal, is a market town and civil parish within the South Lakeland District of Cumbria, England...
when he was only 21 The landscaped grounds date from around the same time and features a waterfall, two lakes and woodland. There is also a rockery, rose garden and terrace and is a fountain and gardens near the house of about 25 acres (10.1 ha).
The current hall building is not the original structure. The old hall was the home of the Nowell family of which Roger Nowell held the estate in the 17th century. He was a magistrate at the time of the Lancashire Witches in 1612 and sent them to Lancaster
Lancaster, Lancashire
Lancaster is the county town of Lancashire, England. It is situated on the River Lune and has a population of 45,952. Lancaster is a constituent settlement of the wider City of Lancaster, local government district which has a population of 133,914 and encompasses several outlying towns, including...
for trial and eventual execution. George Webster also built Underley Hall, Westmorland between 1825-1828 for Alexander Nowell.
Alexander Nowell was an English theologian in the Elizabethan age and also the inventor of bottled beer. Isaac Walton describes the story in the "Complete Angler".
The rest of the park includes Home Farm and Lodge in Whalley Road, both by Webster at the same time. Home Farm was built as a model farm
Model Farm
A model farm was an 18th–19th century experimental farm, which researched and demonstrated improvements in agricultural techniques, efficiency, and building layout. Education and commitment to improving welfare standards of workers were also aspects of the ideal farm movement...
, and converted into living accommodation in the 20th century.