Melling Hall Hotel

The Melling Hall Hotel, originally a house, dates from the early to mid-18th century and was altered in the late 18th century. The central block is constructed of sandstone ashlar with a hipped tile roof and was originally five bays wide, though the lower storeys have been reduced to three. It has three storeys, with the attic retaining five windows, while the lower storeys have fewer. The windows are sash with glazing bars and have architraves. A modillioned cornice and blocking course run along the facade. The central doorway is surrounded by plain stone and has a tetrastyle Ionic porch of the later 18th century, featuring half-columns and a fluted frieze with a central oval patera. To the left of the main block is a two-storey addition made of rendered rubble, consisting of two bays. This section’s windows have plain stone surrounds; the ground-floor window of the right-hand bay is sash with glazing bars and is set within a blocked door surround. A plain stone surround frames the doorway between the bays. To the right of the central block are four two-storey bays also of rendered rubble, with a cornice and blocking course. The third and fourth bays are set back slightly and have a glass lean-to on the ground floor. The windows here are sash with glazing bars and architraves, with a smaller, similar window to the right of the ground-floor window of the second bay. Inside the right-hand part of the main block is a stair hall, where the staircase cuts across the right-hand ground-floor window. The staircase has two flights at right angles, leading to a balustraded landing, with an open string and wreathed handrail. Each tread has three turned balusters and a carved tread bracket.