Towneley Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Towneley Hall |
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Towneley Hall from the front
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| Location | Burnley, Lancashire |
| Area | 180 hectares |
| Architect | Various including Wyattville |
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Listed Building – Grade I
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| Official name: Towneley Hall | |
| Designated | 10 November 1951 |
| Reference no. | 1247299 (Hall) |
| Official name: Ice house at Towneley Hall | |
| Reference no. | 1005089 |
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Listed Building – Grade II
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| Official name: Towneley Hall | |
| Designated | 1 April 1986 |
| Reference no. | 1000954 (Park and Garden) |
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Towneley Park is a huge and popular park in Burnley, Lancashire, England. The local council, Burnley Borough Council, owns and looks after it. The park covers about 180 hectares (445 acres) and is close to the town centre.
At the southern end of the park, you'll find Towneley Hall. This amazing old building is now Burnley's art gallery and museum. To the north of the hall, there are golf courses and playing fields. To the south, you can explore 24 acres of beautiful woodland. There's even a working farm called Towneley Farm on the southern edge of the park.
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A Look Back: Towneley's Story
For over 700 years, Towneley Hall was the home of the powerful Towneley family. They lived there from around the year 1200. This family once owned huge areas of land in Lancashire and Yorkshire.
The last male member of the Towneley family passed away in 1878. In 1901, one of the daughters, Lady O'Hagan, sold the hall and about 62 acres of land to Burnley Corporation. This cost £17,600, which was a lot of money back then! The family moved out in March 1902.
Between 2005 and 2011, the park got a big boost. The Heritage Lottery Fund gave £2.1 million to help restore it. This means they worked to make the park look as good as new, keeping its history alive. Towneley Park is also a "Grade II listed" site, meaning it's an important historical place.
Exploring Towneley Hall
Towneley Hall itself is a "Grade I listed building." This means it's considered a very important historical building in England.
Inside the hall, you can see some amazing things. It has special religious clothes from the 15th century, called the Whalley Abbey vestments. The hall also has its own chapel. This chapel features a beautifully carved altarpiece that was made in Antwerp around 1525.
What Can You See: Collections and Art
The art gallery at Towneley Hall is full of interesting pieces. You can find important Victorian and Pre-Raphaelite artworks. These include paintings by famous artists like Burne-Jones, Waterhouse, Alma-Tadema, and Zoffany.
There are also lovely watercolours by Turner and a local artist named Noel H. Leaver. The hall also displays a collection of old Lancashire furniture. You can learn about local history, including military history related to the Towneley family.
Outside, the Deer Pond in Towneley Park is a Local Nature Reserve. This means it's a special place where nature is protected.
Mysteries and Legends: Towneley's Folklore
Like many old places, Towneley Hall has its own spooky stories! According to old tales, a boggart (a type of mischievous spirit) used to haunt the hall. This spirit was said to appear every seven years, right before someone living in the hall was about to pass away.
People believed the boggart was connected to 'Sir John Towneley'. He was supposedly unkind to the poor people in the area when he was alive. Later stories also talk about a strange, ghostly white figure that appears near the River Calder.
Images for kids
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An example of the woodland sculptures
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Hall from the southwest
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Foldys cross
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Towneley Cenotaph
More to Explore
- Grade I listed buildings in Lancashire
- Listed buildings in Burnley
