Ashton Hall
Encyclopedia
Ashton Hall is a 14th-century mansion in the civil parish of Thurnham
, Lancashire
, England. It is 3 miles (4.8 km) south of the city of Lancaster
and is on the east bank of the River Lune
. It has been designated a Grade I listed building by English Heritage
and is now owned by Lancashire Golf Club.
of Thurnham
and is situated approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) south of the city of Lancaster
, on the east side of the Lune
estuary. It was probably completed in 1381, built by Edmund Lawrence. In 1853, the hall was bought by the Starkie family of Huntroyde Hall
and in 1856 it was largely rebuilt to a design by William Le Gendre Starkie. The only part of the 14th-century structure that remains is the tower that now forms the southern wing of the hall.
The land around Ashton Hall has been turned into a golf course, and the hall is owned by Lancaster Golf Club.
, with roofs of slate
. Its plan is unusual, with towers set diagonally. The 19th-century building was built in the Gothic style
of grey sandstone. The rectangular 14th-century tower is of red sandstone; it has angle-towers and a crenellated
parapet
.
The grounds of the hall have a number of other buildings. There is a sandstone ashlar
gatehouse
which dates from around 1600. It was extended in the 19th century. The gatehouse has a segmented arch with Doric
columns. An ice house of sandstone rubble and brick stands to the north-west of the hall. This probably dates from the 19th century. There is a building to the west of the hall that was formerly a stable block and has been converted into a house. Dating from the 17th century, it is a two-storey building of sandstone rubble.
On 1 August 1952, English Heritage
designated Ashton Hall a Grade I listed building. The Grade I designation—the highest of the three grades—is for buildings "of exceptional interest, sometimes considered to be internationally important". The gatehouse and the former stable block have received separate Grade II* designations. The ice house, an arched conduit mouth, a mounting block
and the courtyard walls are listed at Grade II.
Thurnham, Lancashire
Thurnham is a civil parish in Lancashire, England. It is situated on the south side of the River Lune estuary in the City of Lancaster, and contains the villages of Conder Green, Glasson Dock, Lower Thurnham and Upper Thurnham. The parish has a population of 595.Thurnham is where the River Conder...
, Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, England. It is 3 miles (4.8 km) south of the city of Lancaster
Lancaster, Lancashire
Lancaster is the county town of Lancashire, England. It is situated on the River Lune and has a population of 45,952. Lancaster is a constituent settlement of the wider City of Lancaster, local government district which has a population of 133,914 and encompasses several outlying towns, including...
and is on the east bank of the River Lune
River Lune
The River Lune is a river in Cumbria and Lancashire, England.It is formed at Wath, in the parish of Ravenstonedale, Cumbria, at the confluence of Sandwath Beck and Weasdale Beck...
. It has been designated a Grade I listed building by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
and is now owned by Lancashire Golf Club.
History
The original hall dates from the late 14th century. It is in the civil parishCivil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
of Thurnham
Thurnham, Lancashire
Thurnham is a civil parish in Lancashire, England. It is situated on the south side of the River Lune estuary in the City of Lancaster, and contains the villages of Conder Green, Glasson Dock, Lower Thurnham and Upper Thurnham. The parish has a population of 595.Thurnham is where the River Conder...
and is situated approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) south of the city of Lancaster
Lancaster, Lancashire
Lancaster is the county town of Lancashire, England. It is situated on the River Lune and has a population of 45,952. Lancaster is a constituent settlement of the wider City of Lancaster, local government district which has a population of 133,914 and encompasses several outlying towns, including...
, on the east side of the Lune
River Lune
The River Lune is a river in Cumbria and Lancashire, England.It is formed at Wath, in the parish of Ravenstonedale, Cumbria, at the confluence of Sandwath Beck and Weasdale Beck...
estuary. It was probably completed in 1381, built by Edmund Lawrence. In 1853, the hall was bought by the Starkie family of Huntroyde Hall
Huntroyde Hall
Huntroyd Hall or Huntroyd Demesne is a 16th century house and estate bordering the north west edge of the town of Padiham, Lancashire, England, near Simonstone.-History:...
and in 1856 it was largely rebuilt to a design by William Le Gendre Starkie. The only part of the 14th-century structure that remains is the tower that now forms the southern wing of the hall.
The land around Ashton Hall has been turned into a golf course, and the hall is owned by Lancaster Golf Club.
Architecture
Ashton Hall is constructed of red and grey sandstoneSandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
, with roofs of slate
Slate
Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. The result is a foliated rock in which the foliation may not correspond to the original sedimentary layering...
. Its plan is unusual, with towers set diagonally. The 19th-century building was built in the Gothic style
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
of grey sandstone. The rectangular 14th-century tower is of red sandstone; it has angle-towers and a crenellated
Battlement
A battlement in defensive architecture, such as that of city walls or castles, comprises a parapet , in which portions have been cut out at intervals to allow the discharge of arrows or other missiles. These cut-out portions form crenels...
parapet
Parapet
A parapet is a wall-like barrier at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony or other structure. Where extending above a roof, it may simply be the portion of an exterior wall that continues above the line of the roof surface, or may be a continuation of a vertical feature beneath the roof such as a...
.
The grounds of the hall have a number of other buildings. There is a sandstone ashlar
Ashlar
Ashlar is prepared stone work of any type of stone. Masonry using such stones laid in parallel courses is known as ashlar masonry, whereas masonry using irregularly shaped stones is known as rubble masonry. Ashlar blocks are rectangular cuboid blocks that are masonry sculpted to have square edges...
gatehouse
Gatehouse
A gatehouse, in architectural terminology, is a building enclosing or accompanying a gateway for a castle, manor house, fort, town or similar buildings of importance.-History:...
which dates from around 1600. It was extended in the 19th century. The gatehouse has a segmented arch with Doric
Doric order
The Doric order was one of the three orders or organizational systems of ancient Greek or classical architecture; the other two canonical orders were the Ionic and the Corinthian.-History:...
columns. An ice house of sandstone rubble and brick stands to the north-west of the hall. This probably dates from the 19th century. There is a building to the west of the hall that was formerly a stable block and has been converted into a house. Dating from the 17th century, it is a two-storey building of sandstone rubble.
On 1 August 1952, English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
designated Ashton Hall a Grade I listed building. The Grade I designation—the highest of the three grades—is for buildings "of exceptional interest, sometimes considered to be internationally important". The gatehouse and the former stable block have received separate Grade II* designations. The ice house, an arched conduit mouth, a mounting block
Mounting block
A mounting block, horse block, or in Scots a loupin'-on-stane is an assistance for mounting and dismounting a horse or cart, especially for the young, elderly or infirm. They were especially useful for women riding sidesaddle, allowing a horse to be mounted without a loss of modesty...
and the courtyard walls are listed at Grade II.