Heath Hill House

 

 

 

Heath Hill  was built between 1834-1838 by the Munn family who were of Scottish origin. The house was described as being a beautiful mansion set amidst well wooded country. This was the home of Robert Munn and his family, owner of Stacksteads Mill and Irwell Mill  to name but two.

 

Mrs Munn with Daughters

It is said that the favourite pastime of  the Munn family was hunting and shooting of which they did a lot of , on the moors surrounding their home.  Robert Munn spent a lot of time hunting in Scotland and became a J.P there before he did here in Stacksteads.

 

The Munn Brothers

 

 

  The 1871 census shows that all but one servant out of the six working at Heath Hill had come from Scotland.  Robert Munn died in 1879 leaving a personal estate of £140,00. Taken over and lived in by Dr Falconer of Stacksteads son of the Vicar.In 1920 the land was purchased by Bacup Town Council for the building of house. In 1921 work began levelling the site in 1923 houses on Heath Hill estate were sold for £480.00 for house without parlour or £525.00 for house with parlour.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fernhill House Stacksteads.

 

 

 

In 1872 Fern Hill House was put up for auction following the death of the owner James Munn who had been drowned in the Lytham Regatta in 1871.

 

A Brief description of the house was described as follows:

 

Beautifully situated Mansion house and Estate overlooking Stacksteads near Bacup substantially stone built and comprises entrance hall, back entrance hall and side entrance, dinning room, drawing room, breakfast room, 7 bedrooms, 2 dressing rooms, bathroom and water closet, nursery, store and housemaids closet. Domestics offices comprising Lavatory and water closet, servants hall, kitchen, pantries, closets. larder and wine, ale and larder cellars. Outbuildings comprising a six stalled stable, shippon with tying for six cows, cowman's room, saddle room, granary, large coach house. Large walled in garden containing choice and healthy young fruit fruit trees.

 

In 1901 Fernhill was occupied by William Mitchell J.P. Fernhill House became a Military Hospital during the Great War of 1914-1918.

 

 

 

Rockliffe House

 

   

 

Built in 1866  by John  Maden cotton spinner and manufacturer, on land once known as Raw Cliffe. Owner of Throstle Mill and Springholme Mill to name but two. Henry Maden his son took over the business after his fathers death and became a Magistrate often imposing fines on youngsters and then paying them himself. He was a keen and shrewd business man as well as a real benefactor for Bacup and its poorer residents.

           

After his death in 1890 his son who had been born illegitimate changed his name by deed poll to John Henry Maden and during 1893 gave the land for the new Liberal Club on Burnley Road, presented the Maden Recreation Ground and on 16 December the Maden Public Baths were officially opened. In 1895 he was elected to Bacup Council and became the youngest serving Mayor being re-elected in 1900.

 

 

 

 

In 1912 a drinking fountain made of Aberdeen granite was erected in Bacup centre as a memorial to the Maden family, the memorial was moved to Stubylee Park in 1923. Sir John Henry Maden was knighted in 1915 and died of cancer at the age of 58 in 1920. His only son  choose not to follow his father into the cotton industry and became a lawyer he died childless in 1960.

 

  

 

 

 

 

Stubylee Hall

 

 

 

Built around 1808

Home of  James Maden Holt Esq. J.P

The Holt estate originally covered the all the South side of the River Irwell from Cowpe across Brandwood Moor to Shawforth and then Sharneyford.

James Maden Holt became the first Bacup-born local MP when the North East Lancashire constituency was formed. His gift to the people of Bacup was to provide the land and funds to build St Saviours Church, Vicarage and School which he did between the years 1858-1865. During the cotton famine of 1862-1865 he found work for the unemployed male cotton workers by constructing a "cotton panic road" behind Height Barn farm and through Lee Quarries and over Brandwood Moor the road was never completed due to the depth of the moorland peat and gorse
When he died in 1911 he bequeathed Stubylee Hall and grounds to Bacup .  

Broadclough Hall

Home of the Whittaker family for  many years, the Whittaker family came to Bacup in 1523. Known as one of Bacup’s first gentlemen James Whittaker became the the first magistrate in Rossendale. The Whittaker family owned at least 50 farms in the area, principally on the hillsides around Bacup and the Lumb Valley. Houses known as the Club Houses  and many of the shops between Rochdale Road and Newchurch Road belonged to the family. After the death of James Whittaker in 1899 his son John inherited all the lands and property.  John also became a local magistrate being appointed on the 5th July 1855. Marrying the eldest daughter of Robert Munn  owner of Heath Hill  Stacksteads, John lived at Broadclough hall  for a few years following but eventually moved away to Winsley Hall in Shrewsbury. Married twice his widow lived for a time back at Broadclough Hall, whilst his son Captain Whittaker remained at the family home in Shrewsbury. At the time of his death in 1899 Mr James Whittakers left a will of £257.246.

 

In 1887 it was reported in the Bacup Times that the house was to  be let, unfurnished   with house  stables and pleasure grounds attached it would make a ideal home for  one of Bacup’s many benefactors. Or was it a possibility that the  owner Mr J Whittaker would perhaps offer up the house to the corporation for the use of the public forever.

 

 

Bankside House

 

Home of Dr Stewart in 1901.

 

Moorlands House

 

Edward Hoyle fifth son of Joshua Hoyle, Bacup's first cotton Lord lived at Moorlands House, a stone mansion built in 1870. Edward followed his father as head of the Joshua Hoyle firm. In 1871 he employed 1,600 workers. After his death in 1897 and that of his widow 15 years later, his son Joshua ( who in May 1892 added his maternal grandfathers surname and became Joshua Craven Hoyle thereafter ) and other members of the family presented Moorlands park to the borough of Bacup

 in 1914 for the pleasure and enjoyment of the inhabitants.  The house was demolished in 1914 to make way for the  Italian garden in Moorlands park  and Moorlands terrace was built  from the stone.

 

 

Forest House

The earliest mention of Forest House is in Barnes directory of 1824. Of which it is described as one of the seats of gentry and nobility of Lancashire. Built by and lived in at the time by John Foster a Liverpool architect of world reknown.

 

 

 

 

Hallway of Forest House