Great House Barn

The Great House Barn, on Rivington Lane in Bolton, is a 16th-century tithe barn, one of the oldest of its kind in Lancashire. Although the exact date of its construction remains elusive, significant changes were made to the barn by 1702. The west gable of the barn, dated 1702 but possibly older, bears the initials A TAR (Thomas, Alice, and Robert Anderton).

By the early 20th century, the Rivington Hall, farm, and barns belonged to Lord Leverhulme, who ordered further alterations to the barn. Architect Jonathan Simpson, under Lord Leverhulme's instructions, revamped the barn significantly, filling the cruck beams with sandstone block walls and installing a slate roof. This is the guise the barn retains to this day - a blend of old and new architectural elements.

The barn saw further modifications in the 20th century, with the addition of Tudor-style timber-framed porch and mullion windows. During World War II, it served as a food storage depot for the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. However, after years of transformations, today the barn is owned by Salmons and serves as a café and an information center about the Leverhulme estate, allowing visitors a glimpse into its fascinating history while enjoying a warm beverage or a bite to eat.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons