TURTON TOWER
A Brief History Of Turton Tower
Turton Tower came from a simple stone Pele tower, which was built around 1419as a defense fortress, to an impressive confortable residence by proplre of the Tudor and early Stuarts period. The simple structurethat was added to with timberextensions by the Orrell family transforming it to a lavish residence. In doing so, however they overspent and were forced to sell.
The tower was then purchased by Humphrey Chetham in 1628 (Who founded Chethams School Of Music in Manchester). http://www.chethams.com/
The Orrell's continued to live on at the tower renting the tower from him. During The Civil War (1642 - 1650), the Orrell's were Cavaliers where the Chethams supported the roundheads and this of course may have made for interesting timesat the tower when Humphrey Chetham garissoned his troops within the Turton estate!
Thr Greene family and the Frere family had become the owners in the late 18th centuary and early 19th centuary and they continued this tradition of keeping houses elsewhere although the house was occupied for some time by members of the Horrocks familywho are still numerous in the area.
The arrival of the Kay family in about 1855 saw Turton Tower transformed into a romantic Gothic building. They changed the south front, built a mock Tudor extension and rebuilt The Summer House which is now on private ground but can be viewed while in the tower. They supported the building of the railway that is nearby and created a tennis court in the grounds.
The Kays left in the 1890's and, after occupation by a few more tenants, the property was purchased by Sir Le Knowles and used as a hunting lodge and weekend retreat. On his death in 1929, Lady Nina Knowles http://www.northturton.com/northturtonpc_01.html , his widow, gave the tower and grounds to Turton Urban District Council to use fot the benefit of the public. Since then the tower has been used as council offices and since 1974 as a museum and historic house. Turton Tower is now managed by Lancashire County Museum Service
The Kays left in the 1890's and, after occupation by a few more tenants, the property was purchased by Sir Le Knowles and used as a hunting lodge and weekend retreat. On his death in 1929, Lady Nina Knowles http://www.northturton.com/northturtonpc_01.html , his widow, gave the tower and grounds to Turton Urban District Council to use fot the benefit of the public. Since then the tower has been used as council offices and since 1974 as a museum and historic house. Turton Tower is now managed by Lancashire County Museum Service
