When coming back from Accrington over the weekend we called in at Rufford Old Hall, a 16th century National Trust manor house on the A59 between Preston and Liverpool. Even though I lived a large part of my youth in the area, I'd never been there before.
Rufford Old Hall is a property once owned by the Hesketh family, one of four famous Lords of the Manor in the North West - the Heskeths, the Inces, the Blundels and the Fleetwoods, whose names feature in the name of towns, parks and pubs in the area.
The Heskeths were so well off they could afford to leave the Old Hall in the 1700s and build a New Hall just over the road. This all came to an end with the current Lord Hesketh, who lost it all and seems to have a knack of turning everything he touches to dust. Hesketh Racing (James Hunt raced in Hesketh colours), Hesketh Motorcycles, British Mediterranean Airways (although he must have made a few bob on the sale of the latter) - he joined the board of Babcock, only to resign due to some injudicious comments.
Given he had a minor role as a Conservative politician, he could always rely on the Establishment giving him a job somewhere, but boy as he been unlucky - he even lost his place in the House of Lords when it was reorganised in 1999. He dabbled with Ukip, which just shows how poor his choices are. He's a bit of a joke and all his family now have is the name.
A few photos of the Old Hall:
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