Final phase of Astley Hall’s restoration to begin in Chorley
Historic building set to double its opening days after summer completion
The final phase of the restoration of Chorley’s Astley Hall is set to get under way within weeks.
The historic building’s West Wing is to be refurbished in order to keep it watertight and structurally sound.
The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) can reveal that once the work is complete, in late July, the Grade I-listed attraction will double the number of days it is open to the public – from three to six.
From that point, the hall will welcome visitors from Tuesday to Sunday. It has previously been open for general admissions only on Wednesdays and at weekends, with pre-booked group tours having been available at other times during its open season.
Currently, the venue is shut for its annual winter closure, but will partially reopen in April, with the Great Hall and ground floor rooms still being accessible while the West Wing renovations continue. The rooms on the upper floor will open as that work allows. Chorley residents will still be able to visit for half price.
The full reopening date is timed to coincide with this year’s Chorley Flower Show, which runs from 31st July until 2nd August.
The West Wing repairs will bring to an end a six-year project designed to guarantee the future of the 16th century building, which has operated as a museum for just over 100 years.
Chorley Council has put Astley Hall and the Grade II-listed park in which it stands at the heart of its destination management plan, a strategy designed to enhance the borough’s appeal as a place to visit.
The authority has created new wedding packages – with Astley’s Great Hall and Coach House available to hire for a couple’s big day.
There are also plans to upgrade the park’s sports pitches and children’s play area , with work scheduled to begin this summer.
More than £2m has already been spent on the Astley Hall refurbishment scheme – which has seen the original exterior brickwork revealed once more, the art gallery restored and the creation of a gift shop and information centre.
From this month, the shop has also increased its opening hours to five days a week, from Tuesday to Saturday.
The West Wing overhaul involves the restoration of the plasterwork in a part of the building that houses historically significant rooms including the Tudor Kitchen, Cromwell Bedroom and Stucco Bedroom.
However, the last tranche of the renovation will come with a bigger bill than previously expected – totalling £473,000.
Last month, Chorley Council cabinet members approved an additional £155,000 investment which became necessary after the completion of detailed survey and design work.
The authority also previously secured a £100,000 grant from the Wolfson Foundation, a charity which provides support to sectors including the arts and humanities.
The aim of the fourth and final stage of the refurbishment is to protect the hall’s unique collections and improve what the council describes as “environmental conditions for both visitors and artefacts”.
Deputy council leader Peter Wilson said Astley Hall was “a jewel in Chorley’s crown, and these works”, adding that it was “vital to ensure its continued preservation”.
“By investing in the West Wing, we’re not only protecting the building’s fabric, but also creating opportunities for people to learn about its fascinating history and craftsmanship. This is about safeguarding our heritage while inspiring future generations.
“Over Christmas, we welcomed a thousand children and their families into the hall at our Santa’s Grotto. It was great to see so many new faces and to open our doors to the local community and to visitors from all over the region.
“We want this to continue and so, from April, we will be launching a brand new programme with daily activities such as talks, creative activities, children’s clubs and more. This is all part of our wider plan to bring more and more people to Chorley, with Astley at the heart of our culture and heritage offer,” Cllr Wilson explained.
The contract to carry out the West Wing work has been awarded to Oldham-based Bullen Conservation Ltd., which was the only firm to bid for it.
Council leader Alistair Bradley told a cabinet meeting at which the decision was made last month that the authority would have liked “more competition”, but that it was not able to “dictate the market”.
However, he stressed that the company had already done extensive work at Astley Hall, because of their expertise, particularly in “restorative brickwork”.