Ordsall Hall needs your help!

“Where’s Ordsall Hall?” is a response that I’ve come up against many a time when talking to fellow Mancs about this beautiful Tudor mansion that sits five minutes from our city centre. Shame on you all, I say.

Ordsall Hall, despite unfortunately now being surrounded by council housing and industrial parks, is one of the region’s most beautiful houses, and one of the City’s hidden gems. And, as you may remember, it was the location for Manchester Confidential’s Halloween ghost hunt. (Click here to read all about our ghost hunting night.)

Ordsall Hall is currently open to the public as a museum, but as anyone who’s visited may have noticed, only part of the house is open, with the rest of the place being shut away and used for storage.

Being shown around the Hall by Samantha Smith from Salford Council, we were surprised to see room after ancient room unfold, with beautiful Tudor fireplaces sitting alongside empty paint pots and storage boxes. ‘But why isn’t this all cleaned up and opened to the public?’ I asked in horror. Sam shook her head and gave me a ‘clearly the girl knows nothing’ look. It’s all down to money. Of which, unfortunately, Ordsall Hall has very little.

Apparently there’s a whole floor of attic rooms, which currently can’t be accessed but are still exactly as they were in Tudor times, right down to the 500 year old graffiti still visible in the wattle and daub walls. If Ordsall Hall can raise enough money then all of this can be opened up.

Ordsall Hall need to raise nearly £6 million to complete all of the work, which will include opening up new parts of the house, landscaping the gardens, improving exhibitions, and creating a dedicated education room. They are hoping for £5 million from the heritage lottery fund and other sources, leaving £1 million to be raised through local community fundraising.

Any donations will be gratefully received by the hall – click here to find out how you can help.