Hall,i th’ wood once the home of wealthy merchants was gifted to Bolton by Lord Leverhulme in 1902.
Before Lord leverhulme could live in it {1889} he spent a fortune on restoration. The hall had been inhabited for four hundred years from the early 16th- 19th century.
It was originally built as a half-timbered hall in 1483- I love the facades black and white timbers and my childhood memories are of playing tag around this house.

At one time, the house was divided into private residences. Its famous tenant Samuel Crompton invented the spinning mule which revolutionized the textile industry.
Most of the world’s cotton was spun on Sam’s mule yet he died in Poverty, as he didn’t patent It.

The interior is a delight. This is definitely a hands on place. You can dress in Tudor costumes, and actually touch the pots and pans, open doors, sit on chairs.
Fine 17th- and early 18th-century furniture is well placed throughout the dwelling; some of the rooms have superb oak paneling and ornate molded plaster ceilings. One of the bedrooms showcases a tester bed with canopy that dates from 1627.
The rope base would have needed to be tightened periodically hence the saying " Sleep tight."

The tour starts in the great hall and little has changed here since 1570’s this was the original living room.
A huge stone fireplace dominates one wall and holds a collection of cooking implements. The long black refectory table dates around 1670 Lord Leverhulme donated most of the furniture.

The kitchen is one of the oldest parts of the house; it is furnished in the Lancashire style with huge Iron grate. Upon the table are numerous Lancashire recipes and cooking pots.
In a corner stands a ducking stool the horror of recaltrant gossips plus a spinning wheel. Along side are the dairy and a stone cheese press valued at 3 shilling in the household books.

Three rooms are devoted to Samuel Crompton. On display are personal objects photo’s and his hand made violin {He was an accomplished musician and was paid for playing}
Room 8 is the room where the invention took place. Samuel felt Hargreaves spinning Jenny could be improved upon as threads broke frequently.
Despite Sam’s secret work, machine wreckers who were concerned for their livelihoods began wrecking the mechanized aids. Samuel dismantled his mule and hid it in the attic. When all was well he reassembled it and mill owners saw potential for mass usage.
Samuel died in 1859 and is buried in Bolton Parish churchyard.

All in all there are ten interesting rooms in this museum. This building is one of the last surviving examples of a Tudor wooden frame house in Lancashire. Admission. Two pounds adults, one pound over 60 or student. Closed Mon & Tues except Bank holiday Mondays.