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Published: March 10, 2007
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THE HISTORY OF THE LOCATION Ordsall Hall dates back over 820 years. Throughout history it has been put to many uses - a family home, working men's club and church hall. The most important period of its life is undoubtedly as the family seat of the Radclyffe family who resided here for over 300 of those years.
Origins of the name 'Ordsall'
The name Ordsall has Old English origins being the personal name ‘Ord’ and the word ‘halh’, meaning a corner or nook, which has become the modern dialect word ‘haugh’. This, indeed, describes the position of the manor for its boundary on the south side is a large bend in the river Irwell which later became the site of the docks for the Manchester Ship Canal.
First mention of Ordsall Hall
The name first appears in print in 1177 when ‘Ordeshala’ paid two marks towards an aid, a feudal due or tax. There was probably a house at Ordsall by 1251 when William de Ferrers, Earl of Derby, exchanged the manor for land in Pendleton which belonged to David de Hulton. Manor passes to the Radclyffe family
The manor passed into the hands of the Radclyffe family of Radclyffe Tower, near Bury, about 1335 on the death of the childless Richard de Hulton. The first twenty years of Radclyffe ownership were very confused because there were several claimants, but in 1354 Sir John Radclyffe finally established his right to inherit the manor on his return from the French wars. During these he was granted the right to use one of the earliest mottoes for services in the battlefield, ‘Caen, Crecy, Calais’. Sir John inherited a manor described in 1351 as a messuage, 120 acres of land, 12 acres of meadow and 12 acres of wood.
The early years
Ten years later he had enlarged his house which included a new chapel for which he received a licence in 1361. When his son Richard died in 1380 the Hall was described as having a hall, five chambers, a kitchen and a chapel. It was associated with two stables, three granges, two shippons, a garner, a dovecote, an orchard and a windmill, together with 80 acres of arable land and 6 acres of meadow.
Sir Alexander Radclyffe becomes High Sheriff of Lancashire
Its associated cruck hall, which could have been similar to the one still existing at Samlesbury, near Preston, was replaced by the present Great Hall in 1512 when Sir Alexander Radclyffe (d. 1549) became High Sheriff of Lancashire for the first time. The new hall is typical of others built at that time in the North West, for example at Rufford Old Hall, and is certainly one of the largest, although the absence of a wall fireplace is unusual at this date. As at Rufford, the hall is distinguished by an elaborate roof structure clearly displaying the skills of the carpenter who built the hall. The large oriel bay with the slightly later small private room above, may be an early addition: a similar bay was added to Samlesbury Hall in the 1530s. Further alterations and additions were made to the hall in the 17th century. A modest brick house was built in 1639 by Sir Alexander Radclyffe (d. 1654) at the west end and at right angles to the timber framed building which may have been the home of his bailiff since by then Ordsall was no longer his main residence. Later the house was joined to the main building.
Sir Alexander was apparently already in financial difficulties and this expenditure, followed immediately by the Civil War during which, as a Royalist, he suffered imprisonment and financial hardship, left his son and heir John in such straitened circumstances that in 1662 he had to sell the hall to Colonel John Birch.
Marriages, knighthoods, positions of Influence and connections with court
The Radclyffe family had been connected with the hall for over 300 years and their family history tells of inter-marriages and feuds with other local families such as the Booths, Leghs and de Traffords. Some sat in Parliament as Knights of the Shire, and Sir Alexander (d. 1549) was High Sheriff of Lancashire on four occasions. Most were knighted for services in battle and took part in Court life: for instance, Margaret Radclyffe (d. 1599) became a favourite Maid of Honour to Queen Elizabeth and was seen at Court in a dress said to have cost one hundred and eighty pounds.
Post-Radclyffe history
At the end of the seventeenth century the estate was sold to the Oldfield family of Leftwich, near Northwich, and again in 1704 to John Stock, a trustee of Cross Street Chapel. His son’s executors sold the property in 1756 to Samuel Hill of Shenstone, Staffordshire, on whose death two years later it passed to his nephew, Samuel Egerton of Tatton. The Stocks were almost certainly the last owners to live in the hall for the two wings were probably occupied by tenants by 1700, the Stocks retaining for their own use the central section consisting of ‘a large hall, lounge dining room, a chapel, six rooms on a floor, with brewhouse, large courts, stable, etc’.
Alterations
It is likely that alterations took place during the early years of Egerton ownership: the canopy at the dais end of the Great Hall, for instance, was destroyed when a floor was inserted and rooms formed with lath and plaster partitions on both floors. One rib of this canopy can be seen in the north wall of the dais. Probably at the same time, and certainly before the earliest estate map of 1812, the east wing of the hall was demolished. Other residents
Various families of substance continued to occupy the hall until 1871. In 1780 Joseph Ryder, a cotton merchant and former Boroughreeve of Manchester, shared the building with Richard Alsop who was innkeeper of the famous ‘Bulls Head’ inn in Manchester for about 12 years from 1770, and later became a cotton manufacturer. The land was occupied for many years by the Mather family who were cowkeepers and butchers. After Richard Alsop’s death in 1814, the lease was taken over by John Markendale whose descendants continued to live in the hall until 1871. They were well-known locally as butchers and Richard Markendale’s skin and hide business still survives.
Use as a working men's club
The last quarter of the nineteenth century saw the hall, once moated and surrounded by fields and woods, engulfed in industrial housing and factories. Its future was uncertain until 1875 when it was let to Haworth’s Mill for use as a Working Men’s Club. The Great Hall was cleared of the inserted floor and later partitions and became a gymnasium, while provision was made elsewhere for billiards, a skittle alley and bowling green.
Use as a clergy training school - restoration by Alfred Darbyshire
When the lease ran out, Earl Egerton of Tatton decided to promote the opening of a Clergy Training School in the hall and to this end he arranged for the Manchester architect, Alfred Darbyshire (1839-1908) to carry out a major restoration at a cost of six thousand pounds. At the same time St Cyprian’s church (demolished 1967) was built in the north forecourt and a rectory formed out of the east end of the hall where a new servants’ wing was added on the south side (demolished in 1962). The clergy School transferred to Egerton Hall in 1908 as Manchester Theological College, but an associated men’s social club survived until 1940 when the building was put to various uses connected with the war effort.
THE INVESTIGATION Ordsall Hall has quite a reputation for the Paranormal, there is a ghost webcam there (operating 24/7) and of course a famous Paranormal Television programme visited too ... with some fantastic "phenomena" occuring
We ventured along to help Dead Haunted with their investigation.
Our investigation started in the upstairs gallery, where various items are on display relating to the hall. There are also two large cabinets full of ancient finds, such as suits of armour, bows and arrows! Unfortunately after several requests and attempts nothing Paranormal was witnessed, felt, captured or recorded. The team then ventured in to the Star Chamber, and after a short while various members of the group began seeing bright lights dancing around the west wall of the room. Unfortunately these were not recorded, but are worth noting as over 90% of the group spotted them.
We then took a small party of people who had come along for their first investigation upstairs to conduct experiments, again, nothing happened. Although an air of calm was noted, where it had previously been rather oppressive.
The group then moved into the "Italian Room" and surrounding rooms, and a light anomaly was seen by a member of the group but unfortunately not recorded. A séance was conducted, but yielded no positive or negative results.
Meanwhile, Paul and Dan had discovered an old "Priest Hole" - the room (barely enough space for one) had been used for priests to come and be restful, mindful and deliberate over their church activities... Paul and Dan entered the room, and after 40 minutes decided to leave due to no Phenomena occuring. A huge group séance was then conducted in the main hall, and a few people started noting static electricity going through their hands, various members of the group lost their balance too.
All in all, Ordsall Hall is a fantastic location with some fantastic stories of Paranormal Activity, unfortunately they didn't decide to rear tonight.
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