Buildings of Distinction - Lytham Hall

Buildings of Distinction - Lytham Hall

Dec, 14 2024


Imagine if filmmakers captured the beauty and elegance of an iconic building in Lancashire. Perhaps the location of a future Jane Austen movie in which the director flybys an aerial shot of the vastness of such a building.

Lytham Hall is an 18th-century Georgian country house in Lytham, Lancashire, 1 mile (1.6 km) from the centre of the town, in 78 acres (32 ha) of wooded parkland. It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade I listed building, the only one in the Borough of Fylde.

Please watch this short film which features a brief history of Lytham Hall –

Its history steeps back to as early as the 12th century and over a period of seven centuries there were numerous householders who took possession of the property.

In 1997, Lytham Town Trust bought the building, with help from a donation from BAE Systems, and subsequently leased it to Heritage Trust for the North West for 99 years.

A complete description of the architectural foundations of the building reads as follows –

Lytham Hall is constructed in the Neo-Palladian style of red brick in Flemish bond, with stone dressings and stuccoed features. It has three storeys on a rectangular, symmetrical plan and sits on a stone plinth. The front façade lies to the east; it has a central bay that extends slightly forward and has an Ionic pediment. The main entrance is also pedimented and is flanked by Doric columns. There are four pilasters between the first floor and roof cornice. The ground floor windows have Gibbs surrounds.

The building differs greatly to the traditional Palladian-style houses in which the servants' and utility rooms were on the ground floor (piano rustico) and the important family rooms were on the first floor (piano nobile), Lytham Hall's main rooms are on the ground floor.

Whilst walking around the grounds you will note several Grade 2 listed structures. These include the following –

  • The Gatehouse
  •  A large stable block
  •  A large dovecote
  •  The inner gates
  •  A statue of Diana in what used to be a formal garden
  •  A screen wall running south from the west wing.

For further information, please visit the website link –

https://www.lythamhall.org.uk/

Lytham Hall is described on its website as "the finest Georgian house in Lancashire." Quite rightly so, it is steeped in fascinating history and remains a wonderful tourist attraction for many people. Whether it becomes a filming location for a period drama remains to be seen, but one thing is certain – this building welcomes all interested ones to explore it and regard it as a hidden gem in the heart of the Lancashire district.

^Alex Ashworth CCG UK Blogger