| Summary : The site of a three-gabled hall which was dates to the 16th century. It was of a massive stone construction with very substantial mullioned windows. An unusual staircase to the rear of the house was part of an earlier building. Each gable contained a four light window, with the two central windows being stepped up which is typical of East Lancashire houses of this period. Most of the house dates from the 17th century being built by Nicholas Townley. The hall became the property of Richard Townley upon his marriage to Margaret daughter and heiress of Mr. John Clarke (Henry VII Reign). On the death of Edmund Townley (the last male her) the hall passed to his niece Ann Townley in 1796, who went on to marry Robert Parker of Extwistle, grandfather of Robert Townley Parker. The halls best known resident was probably Canon Arthur Townley Parker the rector of St Peters church, who lived here from 1855 until his death in 1902 and was responsible for the establishment of five churches in the area. The lives of Canon Townley-Parker and his predecessor in office, Archdeacon Master, had spanned three quarters of a century of residence in the hall. After his death Royle Hall stood empty for several years, eventually being purchased by Mr Jackson a farmer from Crow Wood who demolished the majority of the building. Fortunately, the hall was not completely demolished and part of what were formerly the staff quarters were retained, along with the barn, stables and other outbuildings. A staff quarters, probably the pair of cottages added to the all in the mid and late 18th century, have now been intergrated as a farmhouse. |