Scarisbrick Hall At 392 127

Scarisbrick Hall is a country house that has been converted into a school. It has undergone several remodels, rebuilds, and expansions since it was originally built in the 16th century as the home of the Scarisbrick family. The main construction began in 1814, likely by John Slater and Thomas Rickman, but the majority of the work was completed between 1836 and 1845 by Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin for Thomas Scarisbrick, with further additions in the 1860s and 1870s for Anne Scarisbrick. The building is made of sandstone and features stone slate roofs.

The hall faces south-east and includes east and west crosswings, an east tower, and kitchens, with an L-shaped service wing at the rear. The entire structure is designed in a Gothic style: the west wing from 1814 is in early Gothic, while the hall and other parts from 1836 to 1845 showcase fully developed 15th-century Gothic revival architecture. The east wing and the very tall tower exhibit a flamboyant French or Flemish 15th-century style, with the ornamentation becoming more elaborate from east to west.

The centerpiece of the design is Pugin's two-storey open hall, which features two-storey oriels and a steeply pitched roof topped with a three-stage lantern. The east wing, designed by Edward Welby Pugin, is notable for its octagonal angle turret adorned with a cluster of large fluttering birds, and the tower is exceptionally tall, finished with corner pinnacles and a slender rectangular spire. The kitchen, located at the east end and also designed by Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin, is octagonal with a steeply pitched roof and a square lantern.

The interior of Scarisbrick Hall is equally impressive, featuring much elaborate carved oak, some of which is of Flemish origin collected by Thomas Scarisbrick. For a more detailed description, refer to Pevsner's "North Lancashire" on pages 218-223.