Wigan Album

Ace pic Cyril. I delivered papers there as a lad.

I remember seeing the ruins of the hall when I was little. Why did it fall into ruins does anyone know?

I think it was more of a case of vandalism, rather than the Hall falling into ruins. This building should have been protected, but hindsight is a wonderful tool to have at your disposal.

I believe the hall was protected/listed and was not planned for demolition. However this situation was not convenient for the developers who did not secure the site and allowed (encouraged?) vandalism to such an extent that the hall became unsafe and demolition became the only option.

MMM....Hawkley Hall, Winstanley Hall, history being repeated? Rings some Bells!

Where abouts was the hall, i always thought it was the just off Fulbeck/Colby Rd near them new houses ?

Sorry to say i was one of the kids who helped vandalise this lovely old building. It was left open and totally accessible by the powers that be. It was situated opposite Hawkley Hall shops behing the new houses. There were also a number of farm buildings in the vicinity. Sorry!

To see the remains of Hawkley Hall -
Turn into Bransfield Close off Colby Road/Fulbeck Ave, pass the few houses on both sides, keep going past the grassed area and you will go round a left hand bend to a short, straight, stretch of road with woodland on both sides. The Hall is in the woods on the right hand side of the road. There are several overgrown footpaths you can take to it. Choose the clearest path, it will take you straight there.
You will find a heap of earth covered stones with just a small wall still standing, which may have been a fireplace.
There are also remains of the farm buildings in the wood on the other side of the road.

What date do you think this picture is? My dad's family farmed and lived at the Hall around 1910-1920 and when I was tiny he showed us the derelict building as he thought it was going to be demolished.

It was sold by a family member to developers who did let it go to ruin as they couldn't get permission to demolish it. I believe that the stone went to repair Coventry cathedral,or so we have been told by long departed family members