First Christmas celebrations at Hopwood Hall estate in over a century

Date published: 24 December 2019

History was made at the estate of the Hopwood Hall stately home this month, as specially invited guests gathered to mark the first Christmas celebrations at the hall in over a century.

Back in their heyday, the Hopwood Hall Christmas parties were legendary. However, the parties stopped after the two male heirs to Hopwood Hall were killed in 1918, together with 22 staff members.

This marked the end of the family living at the hall, which was later taken over by the Lancashire Cotton Corporation before the manor house was acquired in 1947 by the De La Salle brothers for their teacher training college.

During the 1960s, new living, teaching and administrative quarters were built and the hall became a centre for students, until Hopwood Hall College opened in 1990.

Now being restored by Hopwood DePree, an actor/producer from Los Angeles whose ancestral home is the Grade-II* listed manor, the stately home was opened to specially invited guests on 6 and 7 December 2019.

 

 

 

Two 12-foot trees, donated from Potting Shed, Middleton, were dressed in the Guards’ Room and Reception Hall at Hopwood Hall Estate. Decorations adorning both trees had been handmade by Year 4 children of St John Fisher Primary, Middleton, Redwood Secondary and REEC.

Dating from 1690, the front two entrance rooms are now in a stable condition.  

 

 

 

The Christmas gatherings at the Hall were fully booked with delegates from Historic England, Architectural Heritage, Rochdale Council and Hopwood Hall College attending on the first day and Friends of Hopwood Hall Estate on the second.

Festivity filled the air with Christmas music and refreshments, as Hopwood DePree, who is saving the historical building, welcomed all.

 

 

 

 

One guest, Brenda Holmes, recollected her time at the hall as a 14-year-old girl during World War Two, enchanting all with her memories.

 

 

 

Many fond memories of Hopwood Hall were shared during the gatherings, including from Barrie Meloy and Jackie Ashworth, who both told how they met their partners at the hall in the 70s, as well as Mr and Mrs Alan Clegg, who spoke of days gone by.

 

 

 

Hopwood has an exclusive legal agreement with the council to enable him to have up to five years to rescue the 12th century manor before he assumes full possession of his ancestral home, which has lain vacant for 30 years and is now on Historic England’s 'At Risk' register.

The old hall dates back to feudal days, and still retains many structural and architectural features from the 14th century right until present day, including some of the earliest English Gothic intricate wood carvings and elaborate ornate fireplaces.

 

 

 

The original hall was of early timber construction, rebuilt in Tudor brick by John Hopwood during 1687-90. Painstakingly intricate wood carvings, hundreds of years old, can be found covering the walls inside the hall.

Hopwood has been chronicling the restoration of the building via video, which can be viewed at:

• www.youtube.com/c/HopwoodXIV