Samlesbury Hall
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Samlesbury Hall is an historic house in Samlesbury, near 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 original hall was built with its solar end windows facing east, as was the practice. When the chapel was constructed 140 years later, it too was built to face east. However, when the chapel was connected to the main hall a further 60 years later, the angle of connection was less than 90° because of the solstice change in the sun's position over the years.
The chapel was originally built by the Southworth family, in order to upgrade the house to 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 the 1300s to the present day. The house is reputed to be haunted by the ghost of Lady Dorothy Southworth.
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.
