Gawthorpe Hall set to reopen after £500,000 restoration

Author Charlotte Brontë stayed at the Hall twice at the invitation of the family

A historic hall in Lancashire is set to reopen to the public after being closed for a year for major restoration work.

The Grade I listed Gawthorpe Hall in Padiham has undergone a £500,000 renovation to the external stonework and windows.

Other internal and external remedial work to return the building to its original condition have also been completed.

The Jacobean hall, built between 1600 and 1605, will reopen on 20 April.

Lancashire County Council's Julie Bell said: "Gawthorpe Hall is a very special building and we are delighted that the work has been completed enabling it to be enjoyed for years to come."

Gawthorpe Hall

The Jacobean stately home was redesigned in the 1850s by Sir Charles Barry, who designed the Houses of Parliament

Gawthorpe Hall lies in the shadow of Pendle Hill in east Lancashire

The hall was built on the site of a pele tower by the Shuttleworth family who have lived on the spot since the 1400s

Robert Smythson is thought to have designed it and original architecture, plasterwork and oak panelling from that period can still be seen

Colonel Richard Shuttleworth fought in the English Civil War and rallied troops at Gawthorpe Hall in 1642 for the parliamentary cause. Colonel Richard was also involved in sending some of the Lancashire witches to trail at Lancaster.

The Jacobean stately home was redesigned in the 1850s by Sir Charles Barry, who designed the Houses of Parliament

Author Charlotte Brontë stayed at the Hall twice at the invitation of the family in 1850 and 1855

Rachel Kay-Shuttleworth, the last family resident, died in 1967 and was responsible for putting together the collections of intricate lace, embroidery and costume.

Gawthorpe Hall was given to the National Trust in the 1970s. The Trust leases the property to Lancashire County Council who manages it on a day-to-day basis

Source National Trust/Lancashire County Council