Entwistle Hall

Entwistle Hall

This is a manor house, probably dating from the 16th century, which has since been partitioned, altered and extended to form four dwellings, including a farmhouse. The building is constructed of coursed sandstone rubble with a roof of blue slates and some stone slates. It features one ridge chimney stack, three gable chimneys, and a large external chimney stack at the right end.

The south-facing front elevation consists of a central three-bay hall range (now No. 2), possibly formerly aisled on the north side, with projecting cross-wings (Nos. 1 and 3). A 17th-century wing extends to the right of the right wing (No. 4, the farmhouse), with a low extension to the centre of the rear of the hall. The building is two storeys throughout. The first floor of the hall range has three horizontal rectangular windows of two square lights with flush mullions. The rest of the external features comprise mainly altered and inserted windows and doorways.

The interior is of considerable architectural interest. The roof trusses of the hall range form three regular bays and are composed of heavy principals with raked struts. The tie-beams in the centre bay are cambered and carried at the rear wall on inclined heads of timber posts, with stout windbraces to trenched purlins. Most members have tongue-stopped chamfer; one wall post is double-chamfered with a broad stop, the other forming the jamb of a doorway with a Tudor-arched head. To the east of the second intermediate truss lies another beam with a partition, the present chimney rising between them, possibly marking a former smoke bay. The ground floor of this range is divided on the east side of the second truss by a stone wall incorporating the chimney stack. Chamfered beams, some carrying joists with tongue-stopped chamfer, are visible. Partition walls to both wings are of large framing on a stone plinth and have blocked doorways abutting the rear wall. A later staircase is situated at the rear wall of the third bay.

The front bay of the east wing (No. 3) is formed of noticeably thicker stone walling on all four sides, and the ground floor room is unusually deep, suggesting this part of the building may antedate the rest of the house, possibly dating to the 15th century. There is evidence of a former stone staircase that once pierced the rear wall in the corner next to the hall range, perhaps originally forming a quarter-turn into the first floor. A double-shouldered segmental-headed stone fireplace is also present.

The 17th-century wing to the right extends for two bays and two storeys, with a stone slate roof featuring moulded coping, kneeler and ball finial. A chamfered doorway with large lintel and a small round-headed window are present, alongside three double-chamfered mullioned windows with hoodmoulds (four lights at ground floor, three lights above on each floor). At the right end, a very large chimney stack with set-offs is punctuated by a small round-headed fire window at ground floor level.

Interior features of note include a ceiling in the entrance passage (now No. 3) with a large oval moulded plaster panel with foliated patterns, and in No. 4 a fireplace which is now mostly a blocked stone-arched inglenook.

Historically, the manor of Entwistle was held of the Hospitallers by the Entwistle family until the mid-16th century, when it passed to the Tyldesley family. When the property was divided and sold in 1657, deeds referred to "the Hall ... of 3 bays ... betwixt the parlour and the kitchen" and "out-lying [buildings] adjoining to the Hall on the north side", with the east end described as "the kitchen containing 4 bays in length".