Once the embodiment of wealth, class and status, Extwistle Hall in Burnley was a Grade-II listed mansion that has become abandoned and dilapidated over the years
A Grade-II listed mansion was once a symbol of wealth and prestige, but the current state of the property tells a different tale.
Constructed in 1585, this Tudor-style hall was the property that belonged to the Parker family. Robert Parker, the head of the family, had acquired the land from Kirkstall Abbey in 1537 after the Dissolution of the Monasteries.
The Parkers were in the property for approximately two centuries before relocating to Cuerden Hall in 1718, as per A World In Ruins. The residence underwent renovations in the late 18th Century but has always served as a home. Despite its Manor House-like features, it remained a family property throughout its long history.
But Lancs Live reports the early 18th Century marked the beginning of the hall’s downfall when a devastating fire broke out. The family patriarch lost his life in the blaze, prompting the Parkers to leave Extwistle for Cuerdale.
While the family maintained ownership of the estates, it wasn’t until 1920 that they were sold off. The family line, by then, ceased to exist, and the estate was inherited by the Tattons of Wythenshawe. The story of the hall was immortalised in John W. Kneeshaw’s novel ‘Fair Alice of Entwistle: A Romance’, which was serialised in the local newspaper before being published by local booksellers.
The Hall is steeped in ghostly tales among the locals, was once earmarked for a £2m restoration to bring it back to its original splendour in early 2012. Tragically, these plans never materialised.
After lying vacant for two decades, an Isle of Man-based developer snapped up the property, listing it in 2015 for £500,000. Despite this, the hall now finds itself on English Heritage’s at Risk Register, a testament to its continued neglect.
Historic England has expressed concern over its condition, noting: “No progress has been made on either temporary or permanent repairs, or refurbishment. The building is now in a seriously dilapidated condition and continues to deteriorate at an accelerating rate. The local authority continue to encourage the repair and re-use of the building but no solution agreed.”
