Gardeners World!

Well we spent the morning in the garden before we went to visit Hurstwood this afternoon. I took a couple of photo's this afternoon but it was so grey and miserable I reverted back to this blip so I will wait for a nicer day.
Hurstwood though is an interesting place and the most imposing building in the old part of Hurstwood is Hurstwood Hall. It was built by Barnard Towneley in 1579.

He was an illegitimate son of the Towneley Family. In 1550 he carried off and married Agnes Ormerod when she was about 13-years-old.

Her father and brother were both dead by 1550. Barnard and Agnes were married until the death of Agnes in 1586. Barnard lived until 1602.

Barnard Towneley was an architect and builder. He purchased the land on which Hurstwood Hall is built from his wife's cousin, a man called Haydock.

Over the main doorway of the Hall is carved the inscription 'Barnardvus Townley et Agnes Uxor Ejus, 1579.' The Hall was occupied by descendants of Barnard and Agnes Towneley until about 1775.