There are National Trust properties that feel like a grand occasion. Rufford Old Hall is not one of those. It is better than that. Tucked away in the flat, quietly beautiful West Lancashire plain, just off the A59 between Preston and Ormskirk, Rufford Old Hall is the kind of place that pulls you in gently and then refuses to let you go. It is not intimidatingly enormous. Nor is it stuffed floor to ceiling with priceless objects behind ropes you cannot cross. It is, instead, a genuinely characterful place. It manages to feel both historically extraordinary and surprisingly human at the same time.
This is one of Lancashire’s finest Tudor buildings, managed by the National Trust since 1936. It still carries five centuries of the Hesketh family’s history within its timber-framed walls. You may be coming for the architecture, the gardens, the Shakespeare connection or a good scone in a cosy tearoom. A day at Rufford Old Hall is time very well spent.
At a Glance
| Location | Rufford, Lancashire, seven miles north of Ormskirk |
| Type of attraction | National Trust historic house and gardens |
| Best for | History lovers, families, couples, National Trust members |
| Entry | Paid; free for National Trust members. Check nationaltrust.org.uk for current prices |
| Opening times | Check National Trust website; property opens Friday to Tuesday in standard season |
| Parking | Free on site |
| Dogs | Welcome in the courtyard, North Paddock, North Woods and cobbled courtyard. Not permitted in the house, formal gardens or Orchard Paddock |
| Tearoom | Yes, Victorian tearoom with indoor and outdoor seating |
| Address | 200 Liverpool Road, Rufford, Ormskirk, Lancashire, L40 1SG |
Full Marks for Property Safety
On the day I visited, Storm Dave was still huffing and puffing and generally blowing off people’s Easter bonnets. The property very thoughtfully erected signs to warn people that high winds can be hazardous, especially in woodland. This meant that turnout was lower than expected, but it meant that I could take my time and ponder.
The Hall Itself: History Written in Timber and Oak
Rufford Old Hall was built for the Hesketh family, lords of the manor of Rufford. The National Trust dates the building to around 1530. The architectural historian Nikolaus Pevsner places it earlier, in the late fifteenth century. I don’t get involved in historical beefs, so I will take both their words for it. It has been standing for a very long time and looks all the better for it.
The oldest, most spectacular part of the building is the Great Hall, and it is worth the fee alone. The hall features the only known surviving example of a sixteenth-century carved wooden screen made of bog oak. It is a remarkable piece of craftsmanship that stops most visitors in their tracks the moment they see it. The hammer-beam roof overhead is equally impressive, and the space has that rare quality of feeling authentically old.
The armour collection at Rufford is of mixed European origin. It includes an Italian half-suit from about 1600 with a close helmet resembling a mask; a composite suit, mostly German from the sixteenth century; and a full suit, mostly Italian from the sixteenth century. Children tend to love this room.
Highlights of the Hesketh’s House
The volunteers on duty are knowledgeable and genuinely enthusiastic, happy to talk you through the history. A gentleman sat in the corner playing the lute beautifully, and that lent to the overall immersion. I could imagine myself here eating chicken legs and drinking mead. Then again, I can imagine myself anywhere doing that.
Beyond the Great Hall, the house takes you through the story of the Heskeths across the centuries. A brick-built wing in the Jacobean style was added in 1661. This is at right angles to the great hall, and a third wing was added in the 1820s. Each section of the house reflects the tastes of its time, and the volunteers are generous with their knowledge. The house also contains the Philip Ashcroft collection, a fascinating gathering of rural Lancashire life from the 1930s, displayed throughout the property.
Did Shakespeare Really Visit?
This is the question that hovers over any visit to Rufford, and the honest answer is: possibly. The evidence is more interesting than a simple yes or no.
There is a local tradition that the young William Shakespeare performed at the hall. According to this tradition, the seventeen-year-old Shakespeare accompanied a Roman Catholic sympathiser, John Cottam, to Lancashire. A William Shakeshafte appears in the household accounts of Alexander Hoghton, a prominent Catholic living within ten miles of the Cottam family seat.
Hoghton in his will commended this Shakeshafte to a fellow Catholic landowner, Thomas Hesketh. According to this narrative, Shakespeare moved to the Hesketh family seat at Rufford. He encountered travelling troupes of players and embarked on a theatrical career, allegedly.
The National Trust is careful and fair about all this. They present the evidence and invite you to make up your own mind, which feels like exactly the right approach.
The Gardens: Far More Than You Might Expect
Gardens at historic properties can sometimes feel like an afterthought. Not here. The gardens at Rufford Old Hall showcase lots of variety, from giant squirrel-shaped topiary and resident bees, to picnic spots in the Orchard Paddock and peaceful moments by the canal.
The topiary squirrels in particular are something of a talking point. They are enormous, immaculately kept and wonderfully unexpected. Younger children find them brilliant, and they make for a very good photograph.
The North Woods come alive with bursts of plant activity throughout the year and an array of wildlife can be found along the banks of the canal. In January and February, snowdrops carpet the woodland floor, while spring brings bluebell season and the orchard comes into blossom. The orchard contains several varieties of blossoming apple and pear trees. It is a lovely place to sit with a picnic on a fine day.
Running alongside the grounds is the Rufford branch of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, and a stroll along the towpath is one of the quiet pleasures of a visit here. Keep an eye out for narrowboats making their way through. Rufford’s garden is one of the lowest-lying National Trust gardens in England, which gives it a very particular flat, open quality, with wide skies and far-reaching views across the West Lancashire plain.
The garden is also home to beehives, and the team runs regular Meet the Gardener talks on the first Tuesday of each month at 1:30pm. Garden talks take place on Mondays at 1:30pm and Fridays at 11:30am, which is worth knowing if you want a more guided experience.
For Families
Rufford Old Hall is genuinely good for families, and the National Trust has thought carefully about how to make the experience work for younger visitors.
Inside the Great Hall, children can try on parts of the armour collection and dress up as Tudor ladies and gentlemen. There are trails to follow through the house, encouraging children to look closely at objects they might otherwise walk past. This was particularly the case on Easter Sunday when I was there. Children were encouraged to look for stuffed bunny rabbits, and I found myself quietly joining in on the trail, despite not being, well, a child.
More Things to Know for Families
Outside, free balance bikes can be borrowed from the Coach House on a first-come, first-served basis, and the wide-open Orchard Paddock is a perfect space for children to ride around. The dedicated area for nature play in the woodland has plenty of natural materials to play with, all collected by the garden team. Children can make a wild crown out of twigs and leaves, go on a bug hunt or simply play hide and seek amongst the trees.
During the Easter holidays, the team runs an annual adventure trail for children, and throughout the summer there are garden games laid out on the lawn. The Victorian tearoom offers children’s lunchboxes, and there are plenty of picnic tables and open grassy spaces if you would rather bring your own food.
One practical note for families: buggies cannot be taken inside the house, but they can be left in the Coach House during your visit.
The Tearoom and Second-Hand Bookshop
The Victorian tearoom at Rufford is cosy and traditional, serving hot food, sandwiches, snacks, cakes, cream teas and a range of drinks. There is indoor seating and outdoor seating in the courtyard, which is particularly pleasant on a warm afternoon. Visitors consistently mention the cakes and scones as a highlight, and the blueberry and oat scones in particular have something of a reputation.
Hidden away in the Coach House, you will also find a second-hand bookshop stocked with a varied and ever-changing selection. It is worth a browse, and many visitors find themselves spending longer there than they anticipated.
What’s On Throughout the Year
Rufford Old Hall has a genuinely varied events programme that is worth checking before you visit. House tours run daily at 10:45am, with garden talks on Mondays at 1:30pm and Fridays at 11:30am, and Meet the Gardener talks on the first Tuesday of each month at 1:30pm. Lute playing takes place in the Great Hall each Tuesday and Sunday throughout the day, and traditional yarn spinning demonstrations are held regularly throughout the season.
The property also hosts outdoor theatre during the summer, Morris dancing performances, poetry walks, folk dancing and woodturning demonstrations across the year. In the past, Shakespeare’s plays performed outdoors in the gardens have been a particular highlight, which feels entirely appropriate given the hall’s theatrical connections.
What’s Nearby
Rufford is well placed for combining with other attractions in West Lancashire. Just 2.4 miles away is the WWT Martin Mere Wetland Centre at Burscough, an internationally important marshland reserve and a wonderful place to spend time watching wildlife, particularly in winter when wildfowl arrive in huge numbers. It makes for a natural companion to a Rufford Old Hall visit if you want to fill a full day.
Mere Sands Wood Nature Reserve in neighbouring Holmeswood is less than a mile from the hall and offers a peaceful woodland, lakes and meadows that are ideal for a short walk. Windmill Animal Farm near Burscough is also close by and well worth knowing about if you are visiting with young children who might want an animal fix alongside their history.
The village of Rufford itself has St Mary the Virgin Church nearby, which features connections to the Hesketh family and is well worth a look if you are taking the circular canal walk that begins and ends at the hall. The walk follows the Rufford branch of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal and takes in some lovely flat West Lancashire scenery that is easy going for all ages.
Getting There
Rufford Old Hall sits on the A59 and is straightforward to find from the main road. From the M6, exit at junction 27 and follow signs for Parbold, then Rufford. Parking is free on site, though the car park is not enormous so arriving earlier in the day is advisable during busy periods.
Rufford also has its own train station on the Southport to Preston line, making it genuinely accessible by public transport. The station is a short walk from the hall, which is a real bonus for those who prefer to leave the car at home.
Practical Tips Before You Go
- National Trust members enter free. If you visit more than a handful of National Trust properties each year, membership pays for itself quickly.
- Check the National Trust website for current opening days and times before travelling, as these vary seasonally and the property is typically closed on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
- Arrive in time for the morning house tour at 10:45am if you want a guided introduction to the property.
- Bring waterproofs. The gardens are lovely in all weathers, but West Lancashire can turn damp without much warning.
- The sat nav postcode L40 1SG will bring you to the hall correctly. Some visitors have ended up at Rufford New Hall, which is now private apartments, so it is worth double-checking before you set off.
- Photography inside the house is restricted in some rooms, as some items on display do not belong to the National Trust. The Great Hall can be photographed freely.
Since it is Easter, here are 10 Easter eggs (things to look out for) that you may not see otherwise at Rufford Old Hall.
Always check the National Trust website directly for the most up-to-date opening times, admission prices and events listings before your visit.
