Lytham Hall — Attraction in Borough of Fylde

Lytham Hall

Today we stepped back in time with a visit to Lytham Hall, a magnificent 18th-century Georgian house set in 78 acres of peaceful parkland. Hard to believe that when Cuthbert Clifton first acquired the land in 1606, it stretched across more than 8,000 acres.

From the moment you walk through the grand entrance hall, the house is breathtaking. Every room glows with the character and stories of the Clifton family, who lived here for generations. The Italian plasterwork gleams above your head, the walls are lined with family portraits spanning centuries, and in the Gold Drawing Room, delicate hand-painted wallpaper seems to shimmer in the light. The Dining Room is another highlight, with Gillows furniture, including an exquisite curved mahogany servery, surrounded by fine china, silverware, lamps and beautifully dressed tables. Every corner has been lovingly curated — it feels less like a museum, more like stepping straight into the family’s world.

The Staircase Hall is a showstopper. A sweeping Gillows mahogany staircase rises beneath a Venetian-style window, its opaque glass casting a soft glow. Above, Jupiter, king of the gods, gazes down from the ceiling — a dramatic reminder of the grandeur of the house.

Upstairs, the journey through history continues. Bedrooms have been recreated in different eras — Edwardian, Victorian, Jacobean — offering a glimpse of how the Clifton family would have lived through the centuries. One suite is particularly poignant: the rooms once occupied by Violet Clifton, who lived here until her death in 1961. By then, the Clifton fortune had all but vanished, thanks to her son Harry’s gambling and excesses.

The guides bring these stories alive with colourful tales. There’s the scandalous night Harry locked his wife Lilian out of the bedroom after a drunken argument; she attempted to climb along a balcony to get back inside, only to fall 30 feet. Miraculously, she survived — though with more than a few broken bones. Then there’s the tragic-comic story of young “Stiffy Clifton”, who broke his neck sliding down the bannister as a boy but lived on to serve in the Boer War, forever stiff-necked but unbowed.

Violet herself was a formidable figure, remembered less for kindness than for ruthlessness. Offend her, and she could ruin your life. When she dismissed her chef for possessing a tin of Bird’s custard powder, she went so far as to have her lawyers block him from ever working again. She even sought to have a man deported for killing a hare to feed his sick wife. Her reputation as vindictive is still very much alive in the stories whispered through these halls.

As you wander further, the surprises continue: replica costumes, intricately detailed dolls’ houses, and even a World War II hospital room complete with accounts from the wounded soldiers who once convalesced here. Each room layers history upon history, making it impossible not to be swept up in the drama of the house and its people.

After such an extraordinary tour, Lytham Hall’s charm lingers on in the little touches: a café brimming with old-world character, the irresistible shelves of the Preludes bookshop (yes, I succumbed to temptation and bought a few!), and the quaint garden centre tucked away in the grounds.

Lytham Hall is more than just a historic house — it’s a living storybook, full of beauty, scandal, and secrets. An...

We visited Lytham Hall on Wednesday 19th February 2025 and were very pleasantly surprised by the extent of activities available to all. The snow drop walks were a beautiful way to stroll around the grounds whilst enjoying the relaxing atmosphere from extensive carpets of snow drops. One word of caution, however, when the weather is slightly damp robust footwear is recommended. We decided early on to have lunch in the indoors café and not having been to the café previously realised upon entering it that we should have arrived earlier. It was probably around 12.20pm that we first entered the café and by that time all the tables and seating was full and we had to queue for a place. However, we only waited about 10 minutes or so and we were soon comfortably seated and ready to order our food and drinks. We chose the gardeners' lunch and a hot drink plus scone. The lunch was much larger than we anticipated and the accompanying salad was the freshest and largest we have had for sometime. We had expected to take part in a guided tour of the Hall itself, however, on the Wednesday the Hall was closed to visitors. We would have known this in advance if we had checked the Hall's website before arriving for our visit. For the very enjoyable 4 hours we spent at the Hall the only things we had to pay for were car parking and our lunches. I would rate our afternoon at Lytham Hall as a positive 4.5 out of a...

A beautiful Georgian mansion set in acres of leafy parkland. Spent nearly five hours here and was impressed with how well it has been restored since my last visit six years ago. The ticket office is in a cobbled courtyard that also has outside café tables, garden plants for sale and an antiques centre. Visited the café first, it was quaint and cosy with comfy armchairs, friendly service and a little gift shop. They serve a variety of light meals as well as cakes and afternoon teas. Had a delicious duck liver pate flavoured with gin and orange, served with toast and salad. The house tour was incredible value at £5 (£2.50 for children). Friendly guides in every room who told me some fascinating tales about the history of the hall and the Clifton family. Beautifully furnished rooms filled with fine portraits and ornaments. Was particularly impressed with the intricate ceilings, grand staircase and wood panelled Jacobean rooms. There was also an interesting exhibition about the medieval priory that once stood here. Did the 45 minute garden tour with a very knowledgeable guide. There's a well tended kitchen garden, two ponds and peaceful woodland to explore. Had a lovely day here, will...