Lostock Hall Gatehouse facts for kids
The Lostock Hall Gatehouse is a very old building from the time of Queen Elizabeth I. It's found in a place called Lostock, which is near the city of Bolton in Greater Manchester, England. This special gatehouse is all that's left of a much bigger old house called Lostock Hall.
The Story of Lostock Hall
Lostock Hall was a large manor house built for the Anderton family. It was made with a style called half-timbered, meaning it had wooden beams showing on the outside. The house also had four parts that stuck out, called gables.
Above the main door, you could see the letters "CAD" and the year 1563. These letters stood for Christopher Anderton and his wife, Dorothy, who lived there. Inside, many rooms had walls covered with wooden panels, a style called wainscoting.
Over time, the Anderton family moved out. In the 1700s and early 1800s, the big hall was used as a farmhouse. Sadly, parts of the hall were taken down in 1816. The rest of the building was completely removed in 1824.
What Remains Today?
The gatehouse is the only part of Lostock Hall that is still standing. It's a very important building, listed as a Grade II* listed building. This means it's a special historical building that needs to be protected.
The front of the gatehouse is made of smooth, cut stone called ashlar. The other three sides are covered with smaller, rougher stones. The main arch in the middle was once open, big enough for a person on horseback to ride through. Now, this arch has been filled in with a doorway.
Originally, there were no windows on the ground floor. But now, you can see two sash windows. These windows are placed between tall, fancy columns.
Special Features of the Gatehouse
The gatehouse has some amazing details. On the upper floor, the windows are framed by pairs of columns. These columns are in different styles: Ionic and Corinthian. These are types of columns from ancient Greek and Roman buildings.
Above the first-floor window, there's a square stone panel. On it, you can see the coat of arms of the Anderton family. This was like their family symbol.
Even higher up, above the second-floor window, there's another shield. This one shows the royal arms of Queen Elizabeth I. It also has the year 1591 and the royal initials "E.R." (Elizabetha Regina, which means Queen Elizabeth).
For many years, the gatehouse was also used as a farmhouse, just like the main hall. But today, it is a private home where people live.
