Always Explore

I was feeling the need to do a bit of sightseeing around the wonderful city that I now call my home - Salford. I love a heritage site and Ordsall Hall is just that, last year it reopened after a huge two year restoration and the chance of possible ghost action was obviously fate.

On arrival a photo in front of the manor house was an absolute must (he was meant to save his scared face for later). The detail in this building is incredible and I wish they still built like this nowa days.

This was meant to be 'do a scared look' but instead it turned out to be do an upside down smile. I might frame it...

I'm sorry but these swans are adorable.

We actually walked around the gardens twice as believe it or not we couldn't work out which door was the entrance (there was hundreds at least 20..) Considering the building is over 750 years old, every single roof tile is an original *insert geek face* - little fact for y'all as I'm kind like that.

"The Great Hall is one of the earliest and most impressive timber-framed halls built in the region."

"The Gothic style chandelier is from the 1800-1900's when it was part of the Clergy Training School and was only restored when the restoration took place in 2009."

Moving onto The Star Chamber which takes its name from the lead stars on its ceiling, in this room it gave you an option to play dress up so obviously I endured the boy into putting on a chain mail which he CLEARLY loved (look at that face) 

"The oriel window has 2 pieces of stained glass in it that both date back to the 1550's. Fully restored in 2010, one shows the Shield of Robert Radcliffe, Lord Fitzwilliam, and the other depicts the Shield of Thomas Stanley, second Earl of Derby."

"This Well was the source of water for the people at Ordsall Hall. Water would have had to be lifted up by buckets on ropes."

"The sides of the Well have been lined with stone and the Well was originally 4 metres deep, the Well is now used as a 'Wishing Well' and all donations go to friends of Salford Museum."

We made donations and wished our little hearts away...

The time had come 'scared facial expressions' were now needed as we were working our way up to the attic where a lot of ghostly goings on are meant to happen.. so of course we were pretty scared terrified. The attic is quite closed off to the rest of the building so we were the only people in there, it was definitely the scariest part of the whole tour.

We ended the tour tucking into afternoon tea, cake, toast and sandwiches. Clearly needed after all that heart racing stuff.

Ordsall Hall is stunning inside and out with free admission, you're welcomed by guides dressed in Elizabethan clothing and the smell of the warm toast and tea from the cafe. I absolutely love old buildings and the history inside them so the boy did well! A visit once it warms up for picnics in the orchard is a complete must!