Lytham Hall
Encyclopedia
Lytham Hall is an 18th century English manor house
in the seaside town of Lytham, Lancashire
. It has been designated a Grade I listed building by English Heritage
.
of Lytham was recorded in the Domesday Book
of 1086 as Lidun. In the 12th century it was given to the Benedictine
monks of Durham Priory for the foundation of a monastic cell—Lytham Priory. Following the Dissolution of the Monasteries
in the 1530s, Lytham Priory came into the possession of Sir Richard Molyneux
. In 1606 the land was acquired by local landowner Cuthbert Clifton who built a house there. Cuthbert's descendant, Thomas Clifton, replaced that house with the current hall, which was built 1757–1764 to the design of John Carr.
On 1 December 1965, English Heritage
designated Lytham 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 hall is on the Heritage at Risk
Register because its condition is considered to be only "fair".
Guardian Royal Exchange Assurance
bought Lytham Hall in the 1960s. In 1997 Lytham Town Trust bought the building and subsequently leased it to Heritage Trust for the North West
for 99 years.
of red brick in Flemish bond with stone dressings
and stucco
ed features. It has three storeys on a rectangular, symmetrical plan and sits on a stone plinth
. The front façade lies to the east; it has a central bay
that extends slightly forward and has an Ionic
pediment. The main entrance is also pediment
ed and is flanked by Doric
columns. There are four pilaster
s between the first floor and roof cornice
. The ground floor window have Gibbs surround
s.
In contrast to traditional Palladian-style houses in which the servants' and utility rooms were on the ground floor (piano rustico) and the important family rooms were on the first floor (piano nobile
), Lytham Hall's main rooms are on the ground floor.
Manor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
in the seaside town of Lytham, 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...
. 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...
.
History and assessment
The manorManorialism
Manorialism, an essential element of feudal society, was the organizing principle of rural economy that originated in the villa system of the Late Roman Empire, was widely practiced in medieval western and parts of central Europe, and was slowly replaced by the advent of a money-based market...
of Lytham was recorded in the Domesday Book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
of 1086 as Lidun. In the 12th century it was given to the Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
monks of Durham Priory for the foundation of a monastic cell—Lytham Priory. Following the Dissolution of the Monasteries
Dissolution of the Monasteries
The Dissolution of the Monasteries, sometimes referred to as the Suppression of the Monasteries, was the set of administrative and legal processes between 1536 and 1541 by which Henry VIII disbanded monasteries, priories, convents and friaries in England, Wales and Ireland; appropriated their...
in the 1530s, Lytham Priory came into the possession of Sir Richard Molyneux
Sir Richard Molyneux
Sir Richard Molyneux, 1st Baronet was a Member of Parliament for Lancashire and Liverpool and Mayor of Liverpool.Molyneux was the son of William Molyneux and his wife Bridget Caryll. His grandfather, Sir Richard Molyneux was MP for Liverpoole from 1562 to 1571. He was educated at University...
. In 1606 the land was acquired by local landowner Cuthbert Clifton who built a house there. Cuthbert's descendant, Thomas Clifton, replaced that house with the current hall, which was built 1757–1764 to the design of John Carr.
On 1 December 1965, 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 Lytham 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 hall is on the Heritage at Risk
Heritage at Risk
Heritage at Risk is a collective term applied to 'designated' heritage assets that are at risk as a result of neglect, decay or inappropriate development, or are vulnerable to becoming so.In England, an annual Heritage at Risk Register is published by English Heritage...
Register because its condition is considered to be only "fair".
Guardian Royal Exchange Assurance
Guardian Royal Exchange Assurance
Guardian Royal Exchange Assurance plc was a large British insurance company. It was listed on the London Stock Exchange and was a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index.-History:...
bought Lytham Hall in the 1960s. In 1997 Lytham Town Trust bought the building and subsequently leased it to Heritage Trust for the North West
Heritage Trust for the North West
Heritage Trust for the North West / Heritage Trust North West is a registered Building Preservation Trust, established in 1978 as a charity and company....
for 99 years.
Architecture
Lytham Hall is constructed in the Palladian stylePalladian architecture
Palladian architecture is a European style of architecture derived from the designs of the Venetian architect Andrea Palladio . The term "Palladian" normally refers to buildings in a style inspired by Palladio's own work; that which is recognised as Palladian architecture today is an evolution of...
of red brick in Flemish bond with stone dressings
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...
and stucco
Stucco
Stucco or render is a material made of an aggregate, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as decorative coating for walls and ceilings and as a sculptural and artistic material in architecture...
ed features. It has three storeys on a rectangular, symmetrical plan and sits on a stone plinth
Plinth
In architecture, a plinth is the base or platform upon which a column, pedestal, statue, monument or structure rests. Gottfried Semper's The Four Elements of Architecture posited that the plinth, the hearth, the roof, and the wall make up all of architectural theory. The plinth usually rests...
. The front façade lies to the east; it has a central bay
Bay (architecture)
A bay is a unit of form in architecture. This unit is defined as the zone between the outer edges of an engaged column, pilaster, or post; or within a window frame, doorframe, or vertical 'bas relief' wall form.-Defining elements:...
that extends slightly forward and has an Ionic
Ionic order
The Ionic order forms one of the three orders or organizational systems of classical architecture, the other two canonic orders being the Doric and the Corinthian...
pediment. The main entrance is also pediment
Pediment
A pediment is a classical architectural element consisting of the triangular section found above the horizontal structure , typically supported by columns. The gable end of the pediment is surrounded by the cornice moulding...
ed and is flanked by 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. There are four pilaster
Pilaster
A pilaster is a slightly-projecting column built into or applied to the face of a wall. Most commonly flattened or rectangular in form, pilasters can also take a half-round form or the shape of any type of column, including tortile....
s between the first floor and roof cornice
Cornice
Cornice molding is generally any horizontal decorative molding that crowns any building or furniture element: the cornice over a door or window, for instance, or the cornice around the edge of a pedestal. A simple cornice may be formed just with a crown molding.The function of the projecting...
. The ground floor window have Gibbs surround
Gibbs surround
A Gibbs surround, in architecture, is a type of architrave surrounding a door, window or niche and interrupted by large blocks of stone and often by a massive keystone set under a pediment. It is named after the architect James Gibbs.-Source:*...
s.
In contrast to traditional Palladian-style houses in which the servants' and utility rooms were on the ground floor (piano rustico) and the important family rooms were on the first floor (piano nobile
Piano nobile
The piano nobile is the principal floor of a large house, usually built in one of the styles of classical renaissance architecture...
), Lytham Hall's main rooms are on the ground floor.
External links
- Lytham Hall - official site
- Friends of Lytham Hall
- Heritage Trust for the North West