Business Hour
Duncan Isherwood, Chairman of the Trustees of Samlesbury Hall is leading the way to preserve this beautiful historic building. Gail Bailey met up with him to find out more
Local architect Duncan Isherwood has been on the Board of Trustees at Samlesbury Hall for a little over a decade and was invited to take the helm as Chairman in 2010. “Developing existing buildings rather than constructing new ones, and having experience particularly in the hospitality sector, designing hotels and restaurants, I have been able to utilise my knowledge to help the Hall Director and staff further develop the hospitality provided at Samlesbury Hall,” says Duncan.
Samlesbury Hall, which dates back to 1325, is one of three of the oldest buildings in the North of England and has had a turbulent history including tales of a white lady haunting the hall, young love, betrayal and murder, witchcraft, executions and bankruptcy. Alongside being a home, it has also been a public house, a hand loom factory and, briefly, a school for girls: “The displayed timeline, on show at the hall, allows visitors to follow the fascinating journey the building has been on,” Duncan explains.
In 1925 the house had become almost derelict and was about to be demolished by a local building contractor, when a collection of eminent businessmen collaborated and managed to raise enough funds to save Samlesbury Hall for the benefit of the public – it has thankfully been managed by the Charitable Trust ever since.
Duncan, who has been an architect at Sunderland Peacock in Clitheroe for almost 40 years, only leaving briefly to work with Thwaites Brewery, is in the middle of a gradual retirement from the practice, allowing him more time to focus on the future of Samlesbury Hall: “These are very exciting times for us,” he explains, “In 2025 there will be celebrations recognising 700 years since the construction of the hall and 100 years since the formation of the Charitable Trust, and our ambition is to guarantee that access to the historic building exists for the benefit of the local people for at least a further 100 years.”
To broaden the appeal of Samlesbury Hall to a wider audience a wonderful children’s play area has been created perfectly replicating the hall alongside the Mayflower. This combined with the wafflery and ice cream parlour, a fine lunchtime restaurant, art galleries, animals, a Bee Centre experience, gift shop and the most magical grounds and woodlands to explore, makes Samlesbury Hall a destination day out.
A local actress has created three historical characters, doing regular tours, including very successfully for school parties, where her historical personas are both entertaining and educational: “It shouldn’t be just about ‘going’,” explains Duncan, “It should be about ‘understanding’ too”.
While 2025 seems a while away the Charitable Trust recognises that to ensure the continuation of the house benefitting the local people, a considerable amount of work needs to be done: “We are looking at maybe as much as half a million pounds worth of refurbishment and repair to the roof of the buildings alone,” Duncan explains, and whilst planning support has been received from the local council, funds still need to be raised in order to start work in 2020.
“I am able to use my knowledge to help steer the planning process, monitor the building work and co-ordinate all the documents relating to the plans, but there is a lot of detailed organisation needed in the next few years.”
In 2019 one such new revenue stream will be the Samlesbury Hall Hamlet. Located on site there is a delightful collection of 27 beautiful hand-crafted, luxurious shepherd’s huts, which make a rustic, carefree alternative to a hotel room, and whilst open all year round, they are the perfect place for wedding guests to stay following a ceremony in the Great Hall.
Indeed, weddings have become an integral part of events at Samlesbury Hall with the feeling of grandeur where the party and guests are able to meander through the historic rooms and make use of the wonderful outside gardens and courtyard illuminated with fairy lights.
While Samlesbury Hall is very much a haven for history lovers, it is also a fantastic, family day out and a perfect wedding or business function venue, and thankfully, because of the dedication of the Trust, it will be a fabulous local asset for many years to come, as Duncan concludes: “My involvement with Samlesbury Hall has become a way of marrying up my interests with my professional skills, and an opportunity to work with the very dedicated staff in the most beautiful of historic buildings.”
