Samlesbury Hall
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Samlesbury Hall is an historic house in Samlesbury, Preston, Lancashire, England. It was built in 1325, is independently owned and, since 1925, administered by a registered charitable trust, the Samlesbury Hall Trust. This medieval manor house attracts over 50,000 visitors per year.
The house is reputed to be haunted by the ghost of Lady Dorothy Southworth. Samlesbury is named after the Roman Goddess Belisama. The Romans occupied the Ribble Valley and estuary from about 80 AD, by which time they had large fortresses at Wigan, Ribchester and Lancaster. The River Ribble was a source of power, and the Romans built a working fort at the junction of the Rivers Darwen and River Ribble at Walton le Dale. This fort was named Belisama. The Romans also named the Ribble, Belisama. Belisama is the Goddess of water, fire and the forge, very apt for a fort with metal working. When the Romans left Britain, the district of Belisama became Samlesbury.
The original Hall was built with its solar end windows facing east, as was the practice. When the chapel building was built 140 years later, it was also facing east --- a new East! When the Chapel was connected to the main hall a further 60 years later, the angle of connection was less than 90 degrees because of the solstice change of the suns position over the period of time.
The Chapel was originally built by the Southworth dynasty, in order to upgrade the House into a Manor-house which had to have:
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- A large household,
- A chapel and priest,
- A store of fish for Fridays,
- Usually a pond,
- A water mill and grain store.
Therefore Samlesbury Hall reflects the building styles and religious beliefs from 1300s to the present day..... a living history that is still alive.
Samlesbury Hall is the home of the Billiard Room Restaurant; sells antiques daily; has a Police Museum; guided tours, featuring His Majesty, King Henry VIII, on Sundays and bank holidays; hosts Ghost evenings; and also currently hosts monthly antique auctions, weddings and corporate events.
