Our magnificent Great Hall was built in 1512, shortly before the then owner, Sir Alexander Radclyffe (1496 to 1548), first became High Sheriff of Lancashire - an office he was to hold on a further three occasions.

The Great Hall is one of the most impressive, and certainly one of the largest in the North West of England. It is supported by a very large 'Sphere Truss' which can be seen here and which would have formed a screens passage with a moveable screen similar to that which still exists at Rufford Old Hall.

The hall is set out in what was, for it's time, a traditional layout. Beyond the end wall would have been a buttery, pantry and kitchen. These were some distance from the hall (to prevent the spread of fire) and it is possible to see the three doors which would have originally lead away from the hall to these rooms.

Note the central position of the fire hearth, smoke from which would have circulated in the room before escaping through a hole or vent in the ceiling!

The opposite end of the Great Hall is where we find the dais or raised platform. The Lord of the Manor would have needed to oversee the proceedings that took place in the Great Hall, both official and social, and would have been in the priviliged position of being provided with a chair!

Beyond the far wall there lies the private wing of the hall built around 1360, much of which no longer exists, save for the Star Chamber bedroom and Solar above.

This is the impressive Coat of Arms of the Radclyffe family.

It bears the motto ‘Caen, Crecy, Calais’, one of the earliest mottoes for services in the battlefield, granted to Sir John Radclyffe on his return from the French wars in 1354.

The inset Coats of Arms or badges relate to the various families into which the Radclyffe family married, most notably the familes of: Legh, Swineshead, Oughtrington, Normandy, Lupus, Sandbach, Asshawe, Hulton, Bowden, Pilkington, Harrington, Fleming, Eyre, Padley, Blackwell, Stafford, Bagshawe and Nuttall.

The portrait on the dais is entitled 'Lady in Court Dress, about 1590' and is attributed to Marc Gheeraerts, the Elder (1530-1590).

Involvement with Court Life was an important aspect of the Radclyffe lifestyle. Margaret Radclyffe was one of the most favoured Maids of Honour to Queen Elizabeth I, and was seen at Court in an embroidered white satin gown said to have cost £180 - a phenomenal amount of money at that time.