Ordsall Hall

One of the popular attractions on out minibus tours is. Ordsall Hall in Salford is a Grade 1 listed Tudor manor house and dates back over 800 years, having first been recorded in 1177. The former stately home is free to visit and has beautiful gardens ideal for a picnic. The oldest surviving parts of the current building were built in the 15th century; and between 2009 and 2011 the hall underwent a £6.5 million restoration project – the heritage site is now home to interactive exhibitions, accurate room settings and glorious landscaping.

The most influential period of Ordsall Hall’s history was the 300 years that it was home to the Radclyffe family. The hall was the location for William Harrison Ainsworth’s novel ‘Guy Fawkes’ in 1842, which told the (unproven) story of how the Gunpowder Plot was planned at the hall. The Radclyffes sold the hall in 1662 and since then it has had numerous uses including a radio station, butchers, working men’s club, farmhouse and a school for clergy. The house was purchased by Salford City Council in 1959 and was opened up to the public in 1972 as a visitor attraction.
Ordsall Hall is so outstanding as it is almost unique in its structure and is one of the best examples of this kind of construction in the North West. It is one of just eight Grade 1 listed timber framed large houses in Lancashire – and one of the only three that still have 14th century fabric within the rooms. The hall also has several nationally significant rooms and architectural features such as the Great Hall which is an open, timber framed hall; Quatrefoils – a four leaf repeating pattern found on the Tudor interior and exterior of the hall and are usually found more frequently in halls in the South East; and the six medieval pieces of armorial stained glass. Perhaps one of the most striking features is the Italian Plaster Ceiling Room – this has been restored to its original 1500s glory and features an Italian plaster lozenge design.

Is It Haunted?

As you may expect in a building with so much history, Ordsall Hall has many stories of hauntings and its own resident ghost. The White Lady – thought to be Margaret Radclyffe – is said to appear around the Great Hall, Star Chamber and Great Chamber and has been seen by many locals! Margaret Radclyffe (Queen Elizabeth I favourite maid of honour) is said to have died from a broken heart in 1599 following the death at sea of her brother Alexander. There are now ‘webcams’ in place overseeing the supposedly haunted areas – and the hall runs overnight Ghost Hunts for the very brave, where you may see the ghostly apparition for yourself!

Being newly renovated and only 10 minutes from Manchester city centre this is a very popular visit on our tours. If you want to book one of these tours and see all of Manchester then book out hire by the hour service this is where you can book a minibus and driver for as many hours as you want from a minimum of 3 hours the price for this is £35 per hour for a 16 seater minibus.