Rivington Hall
Encyclopedia
Rivington Hall is a Grade II* Listed building located in Rivington
, Lancashire
, England. It was the manor house
for the Lords of the Manor of Rivington
. The hall is of various builds as successor to a fifteenth-century timber-framed courtyard house that was built near to the present building of which no trace remains. It is a private residence.
, cross chambers and two large windows. The building was evidently a "noble and imposing" structure costing Robert Pilkington nine marks which he paid in two instalments. This 15th century wood and wattle and daub
manor house was rebuilt in stone at the end of the 17th century. The hall was again rebuilt with a red brick Georgian frontage by Robert Andrews in 1774 incorporating some of the older stone building.
The oldest part of the hall is dated 1694 WB (William Breres) over a rear door on the west side. The date 1700 and WBM (William Breres and Martha) is on the north wing. The oldest parts of the hall are to the rear where the ground floor is built of sandstone
rubble with quoins whilst the upper storey is built of coursed squared sandstone indicating a later date. The oldest parts contain mullion
windows.
Robert Andrews demolished greater part of the old house in 1774 and built the present frontage. The hall west front is a symmetrical red brick, two storey structure built in the classical Georgian
style with five bays and a pediment
ed centre and stone parapet
hiding the roof which has a chimney in each gable. The central doorway, approached by a flight of four stone steps, is flanked by side lights and has a pediment. At ground floor level there are four tall, 15-pane sash windows and on the floor above five shorter 12-pane sashes with splayed heads. The spout heads bear the date 1774 RA (Robert Andrews). The south wing was built in brick in the 19th century.
The stables to the east of the house were dated 1713 WBMI (William and Martha Breres and John) and 1732 IAA (John Andrews and Abigail). The date stones are now in the chapelyard of Rivington Unitarian Chapel
.
were living at Rivington from 1327. Rivington Hall, built of wood and plaster, was first mentioned in documents in 1477. James Pilkington, the first Protestant Bishop of Durham, son of Richard Pilkington was born in the old hall in 1518. On the death of Richard Pilkington in 1551, the estate passed to George and then to his son, Robert, the last Pilkington owner.
After the estate was sold in 1611 to relatives Robert Lever and Thomas Breres, the Breres became resident at the hall. In 1729 John Andrews bought the Breres' share of the estate. Robert Andrews rebuilt Rivington Hall in 1774. After Andrews' death the property passed to his sister Hannah Maria Andrews who had married Robert Fletcher of Liverpool. Their daughter, Lucy married Woodhouse Crompton in 1834. The Cromptons remained at the hall until 1910, although they had sold the 2100 acres (8.5 km²) estate to William Lever
in 1900.
Rivington Hall and Hall Barn were used as bases for troops and the Ministry of Food
in World War II. After the war Rivington Hall was derelict. It was restored by William Salmon who held a lease for the property from 1953 until his death in 1988.
Rivington
Rivington is a small village and civil parish of the Borough of Chorley, Lancashire, England, occupying . It is about southeast of Chorley and about northwest of Bolton. Rivington is situated on the fringe of the West Pennine Moors, at the foot of Rivington Pike...
, 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 was the manor house
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...
for the Lords of the Manor of Rivington
Manor of Rivington
The Manor of Rivington was a medieval manor estate in Rivington, Lancashire, England. Before 1212 the Pilkington family owned six oxgangs of land. Over time it became separated in moieties and by the 16th century the Pilkingtons of Rivington Hall owned a 5/8 share. In 1605 the Lathoms of Irlam...
. The hall is of various builds as successor to a fifteenth-century timber-framed courtyard house that was built near to the present building of which no trace remains. It is a private residence.
Architecture
The earliest mention of Rivington Hall was made in 1477, the year it was extended by Robert Pilkington, who inherited the Rivington estates in 1476. He employed William Holden to add a hallHall
In architecture, a hall is fundamentally a relatively large space enclosed by a roof and walls. In the Iron Age, a mead hall was such a simple building and was the residence of a lord and his retainers...
, cross chambers and two large windows. The building was evidently a "noble and imposing" structure costing Robert Pilkington nine marks which he paid in two instalments. This 15th century wood and wattle and daub
Wattle and daub
Wattle and daub is a composite building material used for making walls, in which a woven lattice of wooden strips called wattle is daubed with a sticky material usually made of some combination of wet soil, clay, sand, animal dung and straw...
manor house was rebuilt in stone at the end of the 17th century. The hall was again rebuilt with a red brick Georgian frontage by Robert Andrews in 1774 incorporating some of the older stone building.
The oldest part of the hall is dated 1694 WB (William Breres) over a rear door on the west side. The date 1700 and WBM (William Breres and Martha) is on the north wing. The oldest parts of the hall are to the rear where the ground floor is built of sandstone
Sandstone
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,...
rubble with quoins whilst the upper storey is built of coursed squared sandstone indicating a later date. The oldest parts contain mullion
Mullion
A mullion is a vertical structural element which divides adjacent window units. The primary purpose of the mullion is as a structural support to an arch or lintel above the window opening. Its secondary purpose may be as a rigid support to the glazing of the window...
windows.
Robert Andrews demolished greater part of the old house in 1774 and built the present frontage. The hall west front is a symmetrical red brick, two storey structure built in the classical Georgian
Georgian architecture
Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...
style with five bays and a 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 centre and stone 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...
hiding the roof which has a chimney in each gable. The central doorway, approached by a flight of four stone steps, is flanked by side lights and has a pediment. At ground floor level there are four tall, 15-pane sash windows and on the floor above five shorter 12-pane sashes with splayed heads. The spout heads bear the date 1774 RA (Robert Andrews). The south wing was built in brick in the 19th century.
The stables to the east of the house were dated 1713 WBMI (William and Martha Breres and John) and 1732 IAA (John Andrews and Abigail). The date stones are now in the chapelyard of Rivington Unitarian Chapel
Rivington Unitarian Chapel
Rivington Unitarian Chapel is a place of Unitarian worship in Rivington, Lancashire, England. It was founded in 1703 and its motto is "Here let no man a stranger be". The chapel is a Grade II* listed building, and its restoration in 1990 was aided by English Heritage...
.
Occupants
The PilkingtonsPilkington of Lancashire
The Pilkington family has its origins in the ancient township of Pilkington in the historic county of Lancashire, England. After about 1405 the family seat was Stand Old Hall which was built to replace Old Hall in Pilkington. The new hall was built on high land overlooking Pilkington's medieval...
were living at Rivington from 1327. Rivington Hall, built of wood and plaster, was first mentioned in documents in 1477. James Pilkington, the first Protestant Bishop of Durham, son of Richard Pilkington was born in the old hall in 1518. On the death of Richard Pilkington in 1551, the estate passed to George and then to his son, Robert, the last Pilkington owner.
After the estate was sold in 1611 to relatives Robert Lever and Thomas Breres, the Breres became resident at the hall. In 1729 John Andrews bought the Breres' share of the estate. Robert Andrews rebuilt Rivington Hall in 1774. After Andrews' death the property passed to his sister Hannah Maria Andrews who had married Robert Fletcher of Liverpool. Their daughter, Lucy married Woodhouse Crompton in 1834. The Cromptons remained at the hall until 1910, although they had sold the 2100 acres (8.5 km²) estate to William Lever
William Lever, 1st Viscount Leverhulme
William Hesketh Lever, 1st Viscount Leverhulme was an English industrialist, philanthropist, and politician....
in 1900.
Rivington Hall and Hall Barn were used as bases for troops and the Ministry of Food
Minister of Food
The Minister of Food Control and the Minister of Food were British government ministerial posts separated from that of the Minister of Agriculture. A major task of the latter office was to oversee rationing in the United Kingdom arising out of World War II...
in World War II. After the war Rivington Hall was derelict. It was restored by William Salmon who held a lease for the property from 1953 until his death in 1988.