The history of Hare Hill House – and its future as a community hub

Date published: 15 May 2023

Hare Hill House in Littleborough was originally the home of four generations of the Newall family from 1775 until the 1900s, a family which played a significant role in the development of Littleborough as a thriving and important Pennine Township for 14 generations, from 1453 to 1901.

It also served as the town hall for the now defunct Littleborough Urban District Council, offices for Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council until 2010 and is now used by the local community for a variety of causes.

The house’s grounds would later become Hare Hill Park, now a Green Flag park with several Grade II listed features.

The oldest part of the house is the back of the building, originally a two-storey weaver’s cottage which dates back to at least the early 1700s. The land and cottage were sold to the Newalls in 1774.

The following year, a Lawrence Newall – son of Lawrence Newall of Town House – is shown in ‘Burke’s Landed Gentry’ as ‘Lawrence of Hare Hill’, suggesting that the house was in place. It would have been two-storeys with a frontage similar to that at Town House.

The house underwent a major overhaul in 1870 with the addition of a bay window, a mansard roof (allowing for six rooms to be added on the top floor) and a large conservatory and hot house to the side.

Third-generation Newalls Henry and Maria had 11 children together (although there is evidence of a 12th); their eldest daughter, Sybil ‘Queenie’ Fenton Newall would go on to become an Olympic champion archer, renowned golfer and croquet player.

Queenie is best known for winning the gold medal at the 1908 summer Olympics in London, a feat which made her the oldest female gold medal winner in any sport, having been 53 when she won.

 

 

She still holds the record for being the oldest female gold medal winner at the Olympic Games and Great Britain did not win another women’s archery medal at the Olympics until 2004.

She followed this by becoming national archery champion in 1911, 1912 and 1914.

A blue heritage plaque in Queenie’s honour was installed at Hare Hill House in 2016.
 

Read more: Celebrations in memory of Olympic gold medallist, Sybil 'Queenie' Fenton NewallPublished: 13 August 2016

Henry Newall had a lot of influence in Littleborough. He and his brother Lawrence owned the first gas works in the town, were involved in the wool industry, and Littleborough’s first fire station was built on Hare Hill Mill, which Henry owned.

The Newall family were major contributors to the building of the first Littleborough Chapel in 1471 and again when Holy Trinity Church was rebuilt in 1820.

Henry also formed the Protector Lamp and Lighting Company Ltd., a company which is still in business today and makes the miners’ lamps used in the Olympic torch.

He initially bought the patent for the ‘Davy lamp’ from William Edward Teale, set up the company in 1873 and put William in charge. One such lamp appeared on the BBC’s Repair Shop in January 2023. In his obituary Henry was reported to be a major shareholder or a director of around 50 companies.

 

 

In recent years the Newall Heritage Trail was created: an approximate two-mile walk exploring the influence the family had on the development of Littleborough.

In 1901, Hare Hill House became the home of the-then Littleborough Urban District Council (1894-1974), which added Littleborough Library in 1903, thanks to a gift of £2,600 from Andrew Carnegie.

The house and park subsequently transferred to Rochdale Council on the dissolution of the UDC, and was used by the local authority until 2010.

Hare Hill House also played a huge part during World War Two, as its cellar became an air raid shelter for officers. An original air filter still present in the cellar dates back to 1939. Volunteers tracked down the company which made it and discovered the only other surviving air filter is currently housed in the Imperial War Museum.

After the house had lain vacant for three years, the MoorEnd Development Trust, a local charity, took charge in 2013. Part of the house is today occupied by small businesses, including an accountant, surveyor, councillors, an IT company, artists and crafters.

The restoration is being led by project champion Nick Andrews, who is leading an enthusiastic and growing group of willing volunteers to give it a new role as a creative community hub for all of Littleborough’s residents.

With the support of the Hare Hill Heroes and the local community, the house is being refurbished and many of its original features – such as a centuries-old fresco and original hearth tiles – are once again being uncovered.

 

 

Currently, an array of community groups meet at the house on a weekly basis, with a quarterly artisan market each season:

Mondays

• There is an Alcoholics Anonymous group which meets on Monday evenings from 7pm until 8.30pm.

Tuesdays

• Meet-up: A members’ only lunch club for those who are isolated or need in need of social interaction 11am – 1.30pm

Wednesday

• Ladies Chill and Chat from 9.30am to 11.30am

Weekly ladies' group meeting Wednesdays 9.30-11.30 (pop in and out as you like to suit your schedule) at Hare Hill House, Littleborough.

A place where ladies of all ages can have a weekly chill and chat. It's all about making new friends over a brew, connecting with others after such a long spell in isolation through the pandemic.

 

 

• BLOKES 1.30pm to 3.30pm

 A support group for men suffering from loneliness

Attendees of all ages are met with a handshake and a smile, and can enjoy a cup of tea or coffee, cakes and biscuits over a game of dominoes, cards or darts.

Ages range from men in their 20s to men in their 70s and 80s, with attendees coming from all over.

• Sisters in Stitch – 7pm-9pm

Thursdays

• Volunteers meet from 10.30am onwards to carry out refurbishment work.
• An ‘art 4 all’ workshop by Your Trust takes place from 1.30pm to 4pm.

A variety of other groups including U3A, crafters and creative writing groups, Rochdale DS Allstars and Friends of Hare Hill Park, also meet monthly at the house.

Anyone who is interested in volunteering in the restoration of Hare Hill House can get in touch with Nick via: nickjsandrews@gmail.com or mobile 07880 335 437.