Arrowsmith House..

history,

 architecture,

...the fireplace story!

History

The house dates back  to circa 1580 and was originally a Yeoman Farmhouse within the land belonging to Hoghton Tower.

The known history dates back to the time of St Edmund Arrowsmith (died 1628) .

Tradition is very strong in this area that this was the house which was used as a secret Mass Centre, and even more so that it was here that St Edmund said his last mass before capture and martyrdom.

From then to the 19th Century we know very little.

In 1700 the front porch was added with a staircase. Previous access to upstairs was by ladder from the kitchen. A section of beams in the kitchen which go in the opposite way to the rest of the beams in the room indicate where the ladder must have been.

On the new porch the then  owner, George Gregson carved his initials : GG 1700. It is probable that the Lane and village were named after the house: Gregson House as it was then called.

In the 1920's, the  local Co-Op sought to buy the house and pull it down to build a shop in it's place. The local community, outraged, contacted the well known Preston  Arrowsmith Family who eventually bought the house and secured its future.

Tenants at this time were named  Walmsley and later, relatives named Lee lived in the house.

Marie and Cyril Hall moved in as  newly-weds in 1963 . The Arrowsmith family were keen to have tenants who would welcome visitors . Marie and Cyril have always made the house available to anyone wishing to visit.

When they first moved in, Marie's brother, Fr Fred Woods, a Holy Ghost Father, came to say Mass in 1963. This may have been the first time Mass was said since 1628. Fr Fred travelled to Nigeria on Mission work but frequently said Mass during his holidays in subsequent years. Fr Spiller OSB was Parish priest in the 1960's and '70's and frequently visited. There have been several parish  pilgrimages round the places associated with St Edmund's route of capture, with Arrowsmith House being the focal point.

Fr Thomas Loughlin OSB became Parish Priest in 1973 after Fr Spiller died. He regularly said mass; a tradition in the parish which is still maintained by Fr Aelred OSB.

Architecture

In essence, the house remains virtually untouched. Builders currently working on the house have remarked on how much of the original structure can be seen.

In the 20th Century, necessary repairs have included new floors including the chapel.

In the main bedroom, the floor is original and therefore creaky and uneven!

The severe winter of 1962 affected the woodwork in several windows. They were replaced and one was unblocked following the window tax of the 1700's..

Two windows downstairs remain blocked up; one in the 'backplace' and one in the back porch.

The Plaque

The front Porch

Heavy wooden doors at the top and bottom of the stairs are an unusual feature, presumably designed to minimise draughts.

The back porch

It is possible that this was originally the front of the house and therefore the main entrance.

Yet another feature, the cubby hole on the right as you walk in.

The 'backplace'

 Downstairs

This salt cupboard is in the sitting room to the right of the fireplace. A rose is the carved feature, but look carefully and you will see a cross behind it.

Possibly at one time this held vessels used for celebrating Mass.

The kitchen has a superb fireplace and the hooks for hanging pots are still in place. Another unique feature is the tree which presumably was in-situ when the house was built!