Towneley Hall

Ian Jones, Food and Drink Editor
Towneley Hall
Visit Lancashire, Towneley Hall Art Gallery and Museum

Towneley Hall, Towneley Park, Burnley, BB11 3RQ – Visit Now

Burnley’s Towneley Hall and Park is a treasure trove of architecture and art. In place since the thirteenth century, the site has absorbed the remains of 15th-century Whalley Abbey, and a chapel with an Antwerp altarpiece of 1525. The house and its sixty-two acres have been run as a public amenity by Burnley corporation since 1901. You’ll find an amalgamation of turrets, battlements, and eccentric architectural caprices across the extensive house-and-park complex.

The recent recipient of a Heritage Lottery Fund grant of several million pounds, the Park has been restored into a fine location for a family day out. Rooms are dressed in period style, making this a great learning experience for kids. The complex includes Burnley’s official art gallery featuring masterpieces by Victorian and Pre-Raphaelite artists. You’ll find paintings by Burne-Jones, Waterhouse, Alma-Tadema and Zoffany.

You’ll find an amalgamation of turrets, battlements, and eccentric architectural caprices across the extensive house-and-park complex

The extensive outdoor spaces include the Deer Pond, an important local nature reserve. The woods are graced with a sculpture trail and pleasant walking spots.

And if you’re really lucky, you might spot the local boggart, a sinister paranormal entity supposed to appear once every seven years, prophesying the death of one of the hall’s occupants. Allegedly this is the result of a curse placed on Sir John Towneley who oppressed the poor.

  • Towneley Park
  • Burnley
  • BB11 3RQ
  • View map

Opening Hours

  • Mon: 12:00pm – 4:45pm
  • Tue: 12:00pm – 4:45pm
  • Wed: 12:00pm – 4:45pm
  • Thu: 12:00pm – 4:45pm
  • Fri: Closed
  • Sat: 12:00pm – 4:45pm
  • Sun: 12:00pm – 4:45pm
  • Always double check opening hours with the venue before making a special visit