# Extwistle Hall - Lancashire - July 2012



## sonyes (Jul 19, 2012)

Part two of my day out, after a failed Sunday! 

Not quite as impressive as I thought it would be, and very very trashed. 

Not my finest hour, photo wise, I was stuck with just a 50mm prime!!! Grrrr. 

EXTWISTLE HALL

In 1190, Richard Malbisse, a Norman baron, was in possession of Extwistle, but later it became the property of the Kirkstall and Newbo abbeys. It was subsequently leased to John Parker of Monk Hall, and Richard Towneley. On the dissolution of the monasteries in 1537 it was acquired by William Ramsden, and then resold to Robert Parker. Standing high on Extwistle Moor roughly halfway between Haggate and Worsthorne, Extwistle Hall was built in the 16th century in the Tudor style, and another wing was added later. The Parker family gained prominence in local affairs, and two of its members became sheriffs of the county. During the reign of Queen Elizabeth I the dubious sport of bullbaiting was at its height and a bullring was situated in the vicinity of the hall. The bullstone, a bulky piece of millstone grit is now built into a nearby wall.

There is little doubt that Edmund Spenser made the journey from nearby Hurstwood to witness the sport, and a verse from "The Faerie Queen" lends credence to this fact.

"Like a wylde bull that, being at a bay,

Is bayted of a mastiffe and a hound,

Any a curre-dog, that doe him sharpe assay

On every side, and beat about him round".

The Parker family lived at the hall for about 200 years, and it was a curious but tragic accident that severed their association with Extwistle. On Thursday, March 17th, 1718, Captain Robert Parker went out shooting on a day that turned out to be wet and stormy. Consequently at the end of the day's sport he returned to the house thoroughly drenched with rain. He removed his greatcoat and laid it in front of the fire to dry. Unfortunately, he had omitted to remove his powder flask that still contained a large quantity of gunpowder and the result was that an explosion took place. Captain Parker, along with two of his daughters ,Mary Townley and Betty Atkinson, and a child, were seriously injured, and there was considerable damage to the dining room in which the accident happened, and two other rooms were set on fire. Unfortunately, Captain Parker succumbed to his injuries and died a month later. After this tragedy the family moved to another residence, Cuerden Hall, and the old house at Extwistle appears to have been abandoned to dilapidation, although part of it was occupied as a farmhouse. A more unlikely tale records that the same Captain Parker, when returning from a Jacobite meeting late one evening, saw a goblin funeral procession pass through the gate at the top of Netherwood Fields.

The ghostly cavalcade passed of on in deep silence, a train of little men bearing the coffin, on top of which, as it passed, he saw his own name inscribed. In 1902, in a lecture to the Burnley Literary and Scientific Club, Mr. Tattersall Wilkinson, the sage of Roggerham, said: "In bygone days it was a generally accepted superstition that the devil could be raised by reciting the Lord's Prayer backwards, and woe betide the raisers who did not manage to give him a task he could not do. It is said that some country people raised his satanic majesty at Lee Green, near Extwistle. In this instance he accomplished every task put before him. Terror and dismay filled the minds of the unlucky bumpkins as the time was fast drawing nigh when he would claim his recompense. At this awful moment they bethought themselves to fetch a priest from Towneley, who arrived just in the nick of time when the devil vanished in a flash of lightning at the sight of his mortal enemy, who duly laid the foe of man with bell and book at the foot of Lee Green Scar, where he rests till this day. Sadly this once fine hall is now in decay, if nothing is done, and done quickly it will be lost forever.





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## Silent Hill (Jul 19, 2012)

The nifty fifty aint called a prime for nowt  Some nice images there, and a place I would happily spend some time with


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## _Nyx_ (Jul 20, 2012)

Fascinating report ! Magnificent place & beautiful photos


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## TeeJF (Jul 20, 2012)

Hey hey! They're not three bad at all matey, no wangle required clearly. It's only crappy snappers like me who have to rely on technology!

Love the write up... now I'm off to play my Black Sabbth LP's backwards and see if I can conjure up some Hobgoblins... I adore that beer!


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## noggin (Jul 20, 2012)

yet another on the list of forgotten listed buildings we are losing these to vandals and the climate at an alarming rate. great pics and history carry on the good work. ta very much!


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## noggin (Jul 20, 2012)

I have done some research on this hall and found that according to English heritage it is owned by a company,the photo they have on their site of this hall is of when it was in a lot better condition doors and windows are intact ,roof slates are in position and they state that they are talking to the owners about the upkeep,well from my perspective they are not in possession of the latest condition of this at risk listed building and no work as been done to preserve the heritage that will be lost unless they are made to act.we pay through our taxes for organisations to monitor these at risk buildings for a reason they belong to us all.sorry to bang on but im passionate about local history.ta for the pics and potted history.


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## kehumff (Jul 20, 2012)

Nice reports and nothing wrong with them pics


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## flyboys90 (Jul 20, 2012)

Beautiful building,great photos.


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## Sshhhh... (Jul 20, 2012)

Great report!!Sad history though, hope you didnt bump into any goblins


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## sonyes (Jul 21, 2012)

Sshhhh... said:


> Great report!!Sad history though, hope you didnt bump into any goblins



lol, well not unless you count my 'companion' 

Thanks


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## Wakey Lad (Jul 21, 2012)

Nothing wrong with that report - Nice one


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## prettyvacant71 (Jul 22, 2012)

good report mate to be honest i wud be very surprised if anyone has the money to save it...a lot more precious buildings have tragically gone to waste even wen listed because not viable to repair and i think this is prob one of them


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## prettyvacant71 (Jul 22, 2012)

TeeJF said:


> Hey hey! They're not three bad at all matey, no wangle required clearly. It's only crappy snappers like me who have to rely on technology!
> 
> Love the write up... now I'm off to play my Black Sabbth LP's backwards and see if I can conjure up some Hobgoblins... I adore that beer!



He he he....i remember that one good ole ozzy


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## sonyes (Jul 22, 2012)

prettyvacant71 said:


> good report mate to be honest i wud be very surprised if anyone has the money to save it...a lot more precious buildings have tragically gone to waste even wen listed because not viable to repair and i think this is prob one of them




I know, it's a crying shame when you see these places so badly neglected!! I actually think other report I did, 'The Holme' is actually salvageable, albeit with some hefty investment!!


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## madmurf (Jul 31, 2012)

shame the hall has deteriorated so much since being uninhabited, 28 years ago it was a working dairy farm run by my great uncle and i have great memories of spending the weekends helping out with my big brother. as a 12 year old sweeping out the shippons was my job and hopefully driving the tractor. we only used the ground floor back then and staying over was scary, didn,t help with my brothers stories of the ghosts that occupied the hall.


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## Priority 7 (Jul 31, 2012)

How did I miss this one nice set Sonyes...


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## sonyes (Jul 31, 2012)

madmurf said:


> shame the hall has deteriorated so much since being uninhabited, 28 years ago it was a working dairy farm run by my great uncle and i have great memories of spending the weekends helping out with my big brother. as a 12 year old sweeping out the shippons was my job and hopefully driving the tractor. we only used the ground floor back then and staying over was scary, didn,t help with my brothers stories of the ghosts that occupied the hall.



Haha that's a great story, and i don't blame you for being a little wary about staying over judging by the 'stories' about this place! 

ps.....There was a small abandoned tractor just outside!!


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## sonyes (Jul 31, 2012)

Priority 7 said:


> How did I miss this one nice set Sonyes...



Cheers bud


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## UrbanX (Aug 1, 2012)

You've made the most of that! Lovely set of photos, really captures the feel of the place. Hats off sir!


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## madmurf (Aug 1, 2012)

there were always stories of a hidden escape tunnel from extwistle hall to townley hall from centuries ago but we never found it, apparently for priests to escape.


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## krela (Aug 1, 2012)

If I had a penny for every story I've heard of tunnels from halls to churches I'd... well I'd be able to buy half a pint for sure.


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## sonyes (Aug 1, 2012)

madmurf said:


> there were always stories of a hidden escape tunnel from extwistle hall to townley hall from centuries ago but we never found it, apparently for priests to escape.



I have actually read something along those lines too.........Oooooh would've been good to find!!


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## steve2109 (Aug 2, 2012)

Great photo Set, does your visit proud, thanks for sharing


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