Hoghton Tower: a Lancashire Manor House with a missing tower

In Brief

Hoghton Tower is an imposing 16th Century Manor House and Garden on an elevated site approached by a straight driveway of at least a kilometre. One of its towers fell victim to an ammunition explosion during the Civil War, so although entry is by a robust gatehouse tower, its tallest tower is no more. Largely refurbished in late Victorian times, the house features impressive oak interiors, and a guided tour provides a narrative on the evolving building, royal visits and the family that has owned the estate since the 12th century.

Approaching Hoghton Tower

What's Here?

Most human contact at Houghton Tower is with enthusiastic volunteers, and guided tours run regularly through the day. I took one of these, and it was certainly helpful for bringing the house to life. Having been vacant for over a century, the refurbishment in the 1880s means that the interiors are in uniformly good condition, with wood panelling, and some earlier furniture and fittings. There are various fine rooms, including an impressive banqueting hall, and the tour includes details of the visit of James I, access to underground passages, a view of a priest hole and a chance to peer down the 37m deep well.

The Ramparts Garden from the Ramparts

Adjacent to the building are the formal gardens, which include a rose garden and the ramparts gardens which provide good views that highlight the elevated location of the property. There seems to be a tradition of visiting royals planting an oak tree in the garden.

Practicalities.

Distance from Manchester Town Hall: 34 miles

Drive Time: 45 minutes

Price: $$. Open several days a week, but not in winter.

Parking: There is free parking at the site.

Food and Drink: There is a pleasant cafe with above average scones and courtyard tables.

Retail therapy: There is a rather modest gift shop.

Child Friendly: Not especially - access to the house is mostly through tours, and there is not a playground.

Toilets: Yes.

Do it justice in: 3 hours. I joined a tour, which took exactly its scheduled 90 minutes.

Inside-Outside: 80:20

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Wentworth Woodhouse: Two country houses for the price of one

Image
In Brief. Wentworth Woodhouse is an imposing 18th century country pile near Rotherham, that can boast the longest facade of any country house in England. Though the interior contains little of the original furniture, which was sold off to pay death duties, there are nonetheless striking and varied spaces that benefit from being brought to life in a tour. The property also features an extensive and well maintained garden, with meandering paths, and views of the West Front and surrounding countryside. The impressive East Front. What's Here? Curiously, the property features two houses back-to-back, both built in the early 18th Century, with the slightly earlier Baroque property being considered to give an unsuitable architectural fashion statement in contrast with its Palladian successor.  Both the East Front and the West Front are pictured. The West Front is almost as grand as the East Front. Several themed tours are available; I took the Wentworth Tour, with an enthusiastic and wel...
Read more

Keighley and Worth Valley Railway

Image
In Brief. The  Keighley and Worth Valley Railway is a heritage railway that occupies a 5 mile branch line constructed in the 1860s to provide passenger and goods services to the towns and mills in the valley. Though 5 miles seems very short, train journeys are pleasant enough, with some countryside, some narrow valley scenery, the towns and the occasional tunnel. As a significant tourist destination, the stops include pristine restored stations, museums and an abundance of eateries, and trains are pulled by a variety of steam and diesel rolling stock. Steam engine from 1888 pulling a passenger train. What's Here? Though not originally an especially significant piece of national infrastructure, the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway has been running as a heritage railway for more than 50 years, with more than 100,000 visitors a year.  As well as the regularly running heritage rolling stock, there are many event days of different forms, typically based around train types (I...
Read more

A Day Trip to Shrewsbury, Ending in Prison

Image
In Brief. Shewsbury is a sprawling market town, with a compact historic centre almost enclosed within a loop of the River Severn, the longest river in England. There is more than a day's worth of things to see and do in Shrewsbury; I took a boat trip on the Severn, made a rather brief visit to the museum, and took a tour of the prison.  However, there is also a historic town centre to explore, an abbey and a castle.  What's Here? Having parked near the Abbey, I started by walking along the riverside path towards the Quarry Park, a large open area between the town centre and the river.  This includes the Dingle, an immaculately maintained garden area, with characterful water features and colourful borders.  The Dingle in Quarry Park. My destination was a Sabrina Boat Trip , which as it turns out visited the same part of the river as I had just walked. However, with at-seat refreshments and a commentary providing historical context and humorous asides, this was both a...
Read more