Turton's towering beauty saved

8:37am Sunday 27th April 2008

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Turton Tower - one of the area's most beautiful ancient buildings - appears to have been saved, but finance is still an issue.

John Grove, of the Friends of Turton Tower committee, explains . . .

In January, 2006, Lancashire County Council was faced with difficult financial conditions and they reluctantly decided to withdraw financial support for Turton Tower.

It would have meant that as from this month the main source of funding to run the tower would have ceased.

Following the last round of local government reorganisation Turton Tower is located within the Blackburn with Darwen Authority.

However, the tower is owned by the Parish Council which does not have access to sufficient funding to maintain such an important structure.

Consequently, Lancashire, Blackburn with Darwen, the Parish Council and the Friends of Turton Tower formed a task group to consider ways of ensuring a viable future for the building.

A survey was commissioned from consultants, evidence was gathered and several issues and ways forward were considered.

All parties are committed to the future of the tower and a provisional agreement has been reached which has yet to be formally ratified.

All agreed to work together to develop the site and improve facilities.

The ultimate goal being that the tower should become as near as possible self-sufficient.

It is understood that LCC will contribute about £60,000 a year, BwD will contribute about £30,000 a year and the local Parish Council will raise a precept of £10,000 a year.

The Friends of Turton Tower will work to support the tower and its educational objectives through fundraising and by giving practical assistance.

Applications for Heritage Lottery funding and for grants from charities are being prepared.

Turton Tower evolved from being a simple stone Pele tower, which was built around 1420 as a defensive fortress, to an impressive and comfortable residence by the Tudor and early Stuart period.

The simple structure was added to with timber extensions by the Orrell family transforming it to a lavish house.

In doing so, however, it would appear that they overspent and were forced to sell.

The tower was bought by Humphrey Chetham in 1628 and then rented back to the Orrells.

During the civil (1642-1650), the Orrells were Cavaliers while the Chethams supported the Roundheads.

This must have made for interesting times at the tower when Chetham garrisoned his troops within the Turton estate.

The Greene and Frere families were the owners in the late 18th and early 19th centuries and they continued this tradition of keeping houses elsewhere, although the house was occupied for some time by members of the Horrocks family who are still numerous in this area.

The arrival of the Kay family in 1835 saw Turton Tower transformed into a romantic gothic building.

They changed the south front, built a "mock Tudor" extension and rebuilt the summer house, which is now on private ground but can be viewed from the tower.

They supported the building of the railway nearby and created a tennis court in the grounds.

The Kays departed in the 1890s and, after occupation by several more tenants, the property was purchased by Sir Lees Knowles and used as a hunting lodge and weekend retreat.

On his death in 1929, his widow Lady Nina Knowles gave the tower and grounds to Turton Urban District Council to use for the benefit of the public.

Since then the tower has been used as council offices and from 1974 as a museum and historic house.

Turton Tower is now managed by Lancashire County Museum Service.