Tony Garofalo
Extwistle Hall
Extwistle Hall, now in ruins, is one of the oldest buildings in the Burnley district of east Lancashire and it dates back to the late 16th century. It is located just over a mile north-east of the town, where it stands on a ridge of high ground between the Don and Swinden valleys. The two rivers combine at the foot of the ridge, a short distance west of the hall, and this no doubt underlies the etymology of the name as Extwistle translates into modern English as “river confluence where the oxen graze”.
Extwistle Hall was inhabited by the wealthy Parker family until a tragic accident in 1718 caused them to abandon it. Apparently the accident occurred when Captain Robert Parker returned from a shooting trip on a wet day and attempted to dry out his coat in front of the fire. Unfortunately he had forgotten to remove his powder flask from his coat and the resultant explosion killed him and injured a number of the household. The hall started to fall into disrepair after it was abandoned, although it was apparently occupied for a period as a farmhouse.
The hall has a sinister reputation and has long been associated with tales of the supernatural. One tale of particular note dates back to the early 18th century, when considerable sympathy for the Jacobite cause existed in Lancashire. It is said that after meeting with Jacobite agitators one night Captain Robert Parker witnessed a goblin funeral passing close to Extwistle Hall. He hid in some bushes but was horrified to see the procession carried a coffin inscribed with his own name. He took this as a warning against siding with the rebels and refused to participate in the Jacobite uprising of 1715. This turned out to be a wise decision as the revolt failed miserably and many of the leading participants were executed or financially ruined.
The picture shows the north face of the hall and was taken from the track that runs between Todmorden Road and Houghton’s Farm. It has long been rumoured that are plans to renovate the hall but unless action is taken soon it really is starting to look like this historical gem must inevitably be lost forever.
Extwistle Hall
Extwistle Hall, now in ruins, is one of the oldest buildings in the Burnley district of east Lancashire and it dates back to the late 16th century. It is located just over a mile north-east of the town, where it stands on a ridge of high ground between the Don and Swinden valleys. The two rivers combine at the foot of the ridge, a short distance west of the hall, and this no doubt underlies the etymology of the name as Extwistle translates into modern English as “river confluence where the oxen graze”.
Extwistle Hall was inhabited by the wealthy Parker family until a tragic accident in 1718 caused them to abandon it. Apparently the accident occurred when Captain Robert Parker returned from a shooting trip on a wet day and attempted to dry out his coat in front of the fire. Unfortunately he had forgotten to remove his powder flask from his coat and the resultant explosion killed him and injured a number of the household. The hall started to fall into disrepair after it was abandoned, although it was apparently occupied for a period as a farmhouse.
The hall has a sinister reputation and has long been associated with tales of the supernatural. One tale of particular note dates back to the early 18th century, when considerable sympathy for the Jacobite cause existed in Lancashire. It is said that after meeting with Jacobite agitators one night Captain Robert Parker witnessed a goblin funeral passing close to Extwistle Hall. He hid in some bushes but was horrified to see the procession carried a coffin inscribed with his own name. He took this as a warning against siding with the rebels and refused to participate in the Jacobite uprising of 1715. This turned out to be a wise decision as the revolt failed miserably and many of the leading participants were executed or financially ruined.
The picture shows the north face of the hall and was taken from the track that runs between Todmorden Road and Houghton’s Farm. It has long been rumoured that are plans to renovate the hall but unless action is taken soon it really is starting to look like this historical gem must inevitably be lost forever.