Lytham Hall

About the museum

The site beside Lytham first held a small Benedictine priory, a cell linked to the monks of Durham, founded in the twelfth century. After the Dissolution of the Monasteries the land passed through private hands until Cuthbert Clifton, a Catholic landowner from Westby, bought it in 1606. He was knighted in 1617 and built a manor house near the old priory; parts of it still survive inside the present building.

During the Civil War several of the Clifton sons died fighting for the Royalists and the family lands were confiscated until the Restoration in 1660. In the 1750s the Cliftons commissioned John Carr of York to design a new Palladian house, which was finished in 1764. It was refurbished in the late 1790s and again in the 1830s, and it is now Grade I listed.

The family fortunes declined in the twentieth century, partly because of heavy spending by John Talbot Clifton and later by his son Henry. In the 1960s the Hall was sold to an insurance company, which owned it until 1997. It was then bought by the charity Lytham Town Trust, which in 2000 agreed a 99-year lease with the Heritage Trust for the North West. The Trust opened the building to visitors and cares for it today, together with the surrounding parkland, formal gardens, kitchen gardens and woodland.

Highlights

• Palladian house by John Carr of York, completed 1764
• Plasterwork, Gillow furniture and family portraits in the principal rooms
• Restored parterre and South Prospect gardens
• About 80 acres of parkland with more than 4 km of paths
• Room stewards and information points in every room

Permanent exhibition

• The Georgian Hall – Furnished historic rooms with plasterwork, Gillow furniture, portraits and paintings, explained by room stewards and information points.

Operated by

Heritage Trust for the North West

Admission & discounts

The charge applies to the Hall; the parkland is open without an entry charge but car parking is pay and display. Members of the Historic Houses Association (HHA) enter free. Tickets are paid for at the door and no pre-booking is needed. Prices can differ on special event days.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

Ramps lead to the Hall and the café. Wheelchair access inside the Hall is limited to the ground floor. The grounds have many paths, but some are uneven, steep, cobbled or slippery, so wheelchair users may need a strong companion. Assistance dogs are welcome in the Hall; other dogs are not allowed inside it.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Family tours & workshops
• Activity booklet, scavenger hunt or kids’ audio guide

Trails and children’s events run throughout the year, and the café has a children’s menu. Children must be closely supervised at all times.

Getting there & parking

Use the sat nav postcode FY8 4TS, which leads to the main gates. The Hall stands at the end of a ¾-mile driveway with benches along the way.

Amenities & dining

• Café
• Museum shop

Café with afternoon teas, ice-cream parlour, gift shop, garden hub with plants, book shop and art gallery (Thursday to Saturday). Dogs are welcome throughout the grounds and must be on a lead around the café and gardens.

Events & venue rental

• Spaces for rent
• Private parties
• Corporate events
• Weddings / ceremonies

Up to 60 guests.

Civil ceremonies take place in the Gold Room (up to 60 guests, 65 with the wedding party). The hospitality team runs daytime private functions; evening events are not catered for. The West Wing has meeting and conference suites with free on-site parking and lift access.

Plan your visit