Scarisbrick Hall Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Scarisbrick Hall

General information
Architectural style	Gothic Revival
Location	Southport Road, Scarisbrick, Lancashire England
Design and construction
Architect	A. W. N. Pugin, E. W. Pugin

Listed Building – Grade I
Official name: Scarisbrick Hall at 392 127
Designated:	26 April 1963
Reference #:	1038565 (Hall)
Scheduled monument
Official name: Moated site of Scarisbrick Hall.
Designated:	12 November 1991
Reference #:	1011997
Listed Building – Grade II
Official name: Scarisbrick Hall
Designated:	1 April 1986
Reference #:	1000951 (Park and Gardens)

Scarisbrick Hall is a grand old country house located near the village of Scarisbrick in Lancashire, England. It's a very special building with a long and interesting history.

A Look Back at Scarisbrick Hall's History
Filming Location
Gallery
See also

A Look Back at Scarisbrick Hall's History

Scarisbrick Hall was once the home of the Scarisbrick family. They lived there a very long time ago, even back when King Stephen was ruling England (around 1135-1154).

The Original Moated Home

The very first Scarisbrick Hall was a manor house surrounded by a moat. This old site is about 140 meters north-west of the building you see today. You can still find a tree-covered island there, about 100 by 50 meters, with parts of the old moat still filled with water. This historical area is protected as a scheduled monument.

The Scarisbrick family lived on this land from 1238. They owned the hall until 1946, when it was sold and became a training college.

Victorian Gothic Style

The current Scarisbrick Hall is famous for its beautiful Victorian Gothic architecture. Parts of it were designed by a well-known architect named Augustus Pugin. One of the most amazing parts of the hall is its 100-foot tower. You can see this tall tower from many miles away!

Lady Scarisbrick's Influence

In 1860, a woman named Ann Scarisbrick Eccleston (also known as Lady Hunloke) inherited the Scarisbrick estate. She was 72 years old at the time. She later changed her name to Lady Scarisbrick.

Lady Scarisbrick was known for being a very strong and determined person. She played a huge role in making Scarisbrick Hall even more beautiful. She hired E. W. Pugin, the son of Augustus Pugin, to help with the grand Gothic-style changes.

Ann Scarisbrick was born in 1788. She was considered very beautiful when she was young. She married Sir Thomas Windsor Hunloke in 1807. They had four children together. After her husband passed away in Paris in 1816, Ann returned to Scarisbrick Hall in 1861.

A Grand Welcome Home

When Ann returned to Scarisbrick Hall in 1861, she made a big entrance! She hosted a huge meal for over 1000 of her tenants, serving roasted sheep, oxen, beer, and bread. Most of the nearby town of Ormskirk came out to greet her. Bells rang and flags waved as her carriage, with a band playing, made its way to the hall.

Making the Hall Shine

Ann lived a very grand life at Scarisbrick Hall. During her time there, the hall was lit by gas for the first time. A central heating system was also installed and used. Ann loved to host parties and events, making the hall a lively place. Even though she didn't inherit the furniture, she worked hard to redecorate the house on a much grander scale.

The renovations were led by Edward W. Pugin, the son of the architect who first designed parts of the hall. Ann gave the younger Pugin a lot of freedom with his designs. During this time, the old clock tower was replaced with a taller, more impressive one in the French Gothic style. A new East Wing was also added. Ann dedicated this wing to her father's memory. This new part was connected to the older building by an eight-sided tower. This tower was decorated with eight doves, which represented the Scarisbrick family.

Ann and E. W. Pugin worked well together. He created a very fancy living space for her, paying attention to even the smallest details.

Ann lived to be 84 years old, passing away at Scarisbrick in 1872. Her daughter Eliza inherited the estate. Later, it passed to Eliza's French family. The Marquis de Castéja, Eliza's husband, built the church of St. Elizabeth in memory of his wife.

Scarisbrick Hall stayed with the Castéja family until 1923. Then, it was sold back to a grandson of Charles Scarisbrick, Sir Tom Talbot Leyland Scarisbrick.

Scarisbrick Hall Today

Since 1964, Scarisbrick Hall has been home to an independent school called Scarisbrick Hall School. The school is for both boys and girls. Usually, the public cannot visit the hall, except for special guided tours that happen sometimes.

Scarisbrick Hall is a very important historical building. It is a Grade I listed building, which means it's considered to be of exceptional interest. It is also on the "Buildings at Risk Register," meaning it needs repairs. The estimated cost to fix the building is around £2.46 million.

Filming Location

Scarisbrick Hall has been used as a location for filming!

Scenes from the TV show Utopia were filmed there in 2012. The Great Hall and Oak Room were shown in the series.
An outdoor soccer match in the movie There's only one Jimmy Grimble (2000) was filmed on the grounds of Scarisbrick Hall.