Bank Hall

CURRENTLY CLOSED UNTIL FEBRUARY (Open again on Sundays and Wednesdays in Feb)

At this time of year, when the nights are cold and the days are short, one likes to sit in and binge-watch telly under a blanket. Downton Abbey is a fine choice as it means I can indulge my fantasies about living in a huge mansion, without wondering who has to pay for the heating. It also reminds me of the general pain-in-the-behind of how much it costs to maintain a stately home, while I can sleep peacefully in my tiny flat.

Bank Hall, a Grade II listed building in Bretherton, was on its last legs, derelict and dangerously in need of TLC when the Friends of Bank Hall came to its rescue in 1995. Through fundraising and strenuous effort, restoration work began on the Hall in 2017.

The now-wonderful building and estate stand testament to the effort and eye-for-detail involved. There is no hint of its former unloved phase, and it has even stopped singing ‘All By Myself’ by Celine Dion.

Bank Hall has been completely restored and now stands resplendent in the Lancashire sun (sometimes).

There are lovely forest trails under the canopy and shade of the ancient woodland. The house and land date back to the 12th century, so there is a significant chance generations of noblemen and poachers alike have stalked this land.

The kind of woodland where esteemed poets would be inspired by the rural charm, but having forgotten their pencil, the poems were losts in the mists of time. You know, that kind…

The curious thing about Bank Hall is how it can look so different from so many angles. From the angle below, it looks like the kind of place Beckhams or royalty-seeking Kardashians might rent. From the front (see top) it looks properly like a palace from a child’s dreamscape.

As you pass around it, its dimensions continue to transform and confound. Another interesting thing about it is how secluded it is from the traffic noise of the nearby A59, and it is barely visible on approach, as if it doesn’t want to be discovered.