Historic assets

Burnley is home to not one but two historic halls – Towneley Hall and Gawthorpe Hall.

The 16th-century Towneley Hall is set in 445 acres of parkland and is owned and managed by Burnley Council employees, along with the green space and golf green. It regularly hosts weddings and exhibitions, while the grounds host large-scale events such as Retro and Wile Out festivals and the Burnley Business Awards, the latter of which see 500 guests enjoy celebrations in a huge marquee. There is also woodland and a large children’s play area, along with a garden centre.

Like our historic halls, the borough is home to two beautiful town halls – Burnley and Padiham. Burnley Town Hall is the main HQ of the council and dates back to 1888. It has beautiful stained glass, period meeting rooms, large council chambers and still has the old cells and gated staircases when it operated as holding cells and a court (some of the cells still have prisoner graffiti, a bed and a toilet!).

Gawthorpe Hall is often referred to as the Downton of the North. It marks the start of the Bronte Way, a linear walk from Burnley to Wycoller, Haworth and finally Oakworth, near Bradford. Part of the National Trust and co-managed with Lancashire County Council, this Elizabethan gem was redesigned in the 1850s by Sir Charles Barry, designer of the Houses of Parliament and the ‘real’ Downton Abbey, Highclere Castle. It is also set in far-reaching grounds which include play areas and woodland. Interestingly, the training ground of Burnley FC also lies within the estate.

Padiham Town Hall has recently undergone a complete renovation to turn it into modern flexible working space. However, it still retains many of its period features, such as a stunning central staircase that splits into two, a ballroom and parquet flooring.

All assets except Gawthorpe Hall are managed within the council, which make requests and filming convenient. However, we have an excellent relationship with the county council and National Trust to facilitate filming at Gawthorpe Hall.

Queen Street Mill Museum is one of the world`s last remaining operational steam-powered weaving mills, which has been used as a set for many well-known films and historical dramas. It has starred in the King’s Speech, the 2019 BBC adaptation of a Christmas Carol, and most recently starred in the Netflix drama `The English Game`. Acting stars such as Colin Firth, Tom Hardy and Sean Bean, have filmed famous scenes in Queen Street Mill Museum.

The mill is managed by Lancashire County Council’s Museum Service, with whom we have a proactive working relationship. Preserving the mill and machinery is of national importance.