[Snake Oil]

Explored with Kenni

History from wikipedia...

Winstanley Hall is a late 16th century house in Winstanley, in the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan. It is listed as a Scheduled Ancient Monument and a Grade II* listed building. Originally built for the Winstanley family, the building is one of only three Tudor buildings in the Borough.

The hall was built in the 1560s for the Winstanley family of Winstanley; the Winstanley family were lords of the manor since at least 1252 and may have been responsible for building the moat on the site. The Winstanleys owned the hall until 1596, when the estate was sold to James Bankes, a London goldsmith and banker. Winstanley Hall has three storeys and has a date stone with a date of 1584, but this is not in situ so may not provide an accurate date for the construction of the house. Extra blocks were added in the 17th and 18th centuries. Further and extensive alterations were made in 1811-19 by Lewis Wyatt in a Jacobean style. He moved the entrance to the left flank of the hall and replacing the original entrance with a window. The final additions to the hall were made in 1843 when an extra wing was added. To the south, on lands belonging to the hall, is a small stone building which was used to house bears that provided entertainment for the halls guests.

The Bankes family retained ownership of the hall until the 21st century when it was sold for private development. The hall had been kept in good condition until the 1960s when habitation stopped. As the building decayed and the cost of maintaining Winstanley Hall was too much for the family it was sold on. It was intended to develop the hall into private flats, however refurbishment was held up due to Wigan council withholding planning permission. The interior is now in some disrepair.

'The interior is now in some disrepair' has to be understatement of the year, this place is fooked, floors, ceilings, staircases and supporting beams are collapsing all over the place, even the walls are held up in places by exterior bracing.

pics......



















we didn't chance climbing this set of stairs!



















BBQ anyone?





wildlife! excuse the crappy shot, it was hand held with no lighting