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Astley Hall, Chorley

Astley Hall is a country house in Chorley, Lancashire, England. The site was acquired in the 15th century by the Charnock family from the Knights of Saint John of Jerusalem. In 1665, Margaret Charnock married Richard Brooke of Mere in Cheshire (son of Sir Peter Brooke), and they built the present grand but asymmetrical front range of brick with a pair of vast mullion-and-transomed bay windows. The interior is notable for the staggering mid-17th century plasterwork in the ceilings of the Great Hall and drawing room, which have heavy wreaths and disporting cherubs. The staircase is of the same period with a coarse but vigorously carved acanthus scroll balustrade and square newels with vases of flowers on top. The lower parts of the hall are panelled with inset paintings of a curious selection of modern worthies, including Protestants such as Elizabeth I and William the Silent; Catholics such as Philip II and Ambrogio Spinola; the explorers Christopher Columbus and Ferdinand Magellan, and Muslim rulers such as Bajazet and Mohammed II, Sultans of Turkey. The entire width of the house on the top floor is occupied by a long gallery which contains the finest shovelboard table in existence, 23.5 feet (7.2 m) long. In 1922 the house and its contents were given to Chorley Corporation by Reginald Tatton, as a memorial to the local men killed in World War I. It has since been maintained as a museum. A wide range of temporary exhibitions are displayed in the art gallery throughout the season and events are organised throughout the year. The grounds with a small lake were landscaped by John Webb and feature a picturesque meandering stream running through a wooded ravine.