Gawthorpe Hall facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Gawthorpe Hall
Gawthorpe Hall from the front
Location	Ightenhill, Burnley, Lancashire, BB12 8UA
Listed Building – Grade I
Official name: Gawthorpe Hall and surrounding balustrade
Designated	1 April 1953
Reference no.	1237626
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Gawthorpe Hall is a beautiful old country house in Lancashire, England. It was built a long time ago, during the Elizabethan period (around the 1600s). You can find it near the River Calder in a place called Ightenhill, close to Burnley.

The house is thought to have been designed by a famous architect named Robert Smythson. Later, in the mid-1800s, another well-known architect, Charles Barry (who designed the Houses of Parliament), made some changes to it.

Gawthorpe Hall is a very important historical building. Since 1953, it has been a Grade I listed building. This means it's one of the most important historic places in England. In 1970, the family who owned it, the Shuttleworths, gave the hall to the National Trust. It is now looked after by both the National Trust and Lancashire County Council. In 2015, money was given to help fix up parts of the house.

History of Gawthorpe Hall

The Shuttleworth family built Gawthorpe Hall. They had lived in the area since the 1100s. Some people think the house started as a strong tower called a "pele tower." This tower was built in the 1300s to protect against invaders from Scotland.

The main Elizabethan house was built around this old tower. Work started on August 26, 1600. It was planned by Richard Shuttleworth, but his brother, Lawrence, finished it after Richard passed away.

The family who lived here, the Shuttleworths, ate food mostly from their own farms. They also bought spices from London. You can still see their family initials, KS, in the decorations around the house.

A special person named Rachel Kay-Shuttleworth lived at the hall from 1953 until she passed away in 1967. She was known as "Miss Rachel" by local people. She loved textiles and crafts. She started collecting them in 1912 to use as teaching tools. Her amazing collection is now part of the Gawthorpe Textiles Collection, which is kept at the hall.

In 1970, Rachel's nephew gave Gawthorpe Hall to the National Trust. It is managed with Lancashire County Council. The council provided £500,000 in 2015 for important repairs.

Architecture and Design

Gawthorpe Hall began as a strong tower. It was then turned into a grand Elizabethan mansion in the early 1600s. Many believe the famous architect Robert Smythson designed it. If not, his work certainly inspired the design.

By the mid-1800s, the house needed a lot of work. Sir James Phillips Kay-Shuttleworth hired Charles Barry to rebuild and improve it. Charles Barry was a very famous architect. He also designed the Houses of Parliament in London.

Important Buildings at Gawthorpe

Gawthorpe Hall is a Grade I listed building. This means it's a very important historic site. Other buildings nearby are also listed:

• The Great Barn was built between 1602 and 1604. It is also a Grade I listed building.
• The old farmhouse, built in 1605–1606, is now used as offices.
• Other buildings like the coach house and gatehouses are also listed.

Gardens and Grounds

A small, pretty garden was made in the 1850s. It sits on a terrace behind the house and looks over the River Calder. The river's path was changed in the 1800s because of pollution. It was moved again in the 1960s for a coal mining project.

After the Second World War, the family had to dig up the formal garden. It cost too much to keep it looking nice. Even today, you can sometimes still see the old garden's shape, especially when the weather is dry.

Gawthorpe Hall is also a starting point for the Brontë Way. This is a long walking path, about 43 miles (69 km) long. It goes across the South Pennines to Haworth, where the Brontë sisters lived.

Burnley F.C. Training Ground

In 1955, the chairman of Burnley F.C., Bob Lord, bought 80 acres of land at Gawthorpe. This made Burnley one of the first football clubs to have its own special training center.

Over the years, the training facilities became a bit old. But in spring 2017, the club opened a brand new, modern training complex. It cost £10.6 million! This new center is now the main base for the senior football team and the club's academy.

Notable People from Gawthorpe Hall

Many interesting people from the Shuttleworth family lived at Gawthorpe Hall:

• Colonel Richard Shuttleworth (1587–1669) was a Member of Parliament. This means he helped make laws for the country.
• Richard Shuttleworth (1683–1749) was also a Member of Parliament for Lancashire.
• James Shuttleworth (politician) (1714–1773) was a Member of Parliament and a High Sheriff of Yorkshire. A High Sheriff was an important local official.
• Sir James Phillips Kay-Shuttleworth, 1st Baronet (1804–1877) was a very important person in education.
• Ughtred James Kay-Shuttleworth, 1st Baron Shuttleworth (1844–1939) was a politician and a member of the House of Lords.
• Richard Kay-Shuttleworth, 2nd Baron Shuttleworth (1937–1940) was a fighter pilot. He sadly passed away during the Battle of Britain in World War II.
• Rachel Beatrice Kay-Shuttleworth (1886–1967) was a very special person. She was an educator, an embroiderer, and she helped many people. She started the amazing Gawthorpe Textiles Collection.

Gallery

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  The rear of Gawthorpe Hall, with a portion of the rear gardens

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  The Great Barn, coach house and old farmhouse to the southwest of the hall

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  Burnley F.C.'s training facility, on the north side of the river, completed in 2017