Workington Hall
Where is it?
Curwen Park, Workington, Cumbria.
Grid Ref 89:NY007287.
Workington Hall is in the grounds of Curwen Park. The Park is in
the outskirts of Workington, just to the right of the A66 as you
enter the Town from the east.
You can view a
location map.
Links to local transport
and roads information are also available.
When is it Open?
Workington Hall is currently closed to the public, though it is
possible to organise occasional entry, the grounds of the Hall and
surrounding Park are available for the public to visit. Please
contact heritage.arts@allerdale.gov.uk
or 01900 326253 for further information.
Workington Hall
Workington Hall is the most important secular historic
building in Workington. It was built around a pele tower dating
from the 14th century and has a fascinating history. The Hall was
the hereditary seat of the Curwen family, the lords of the manor in
Workington, right up until 1929. In 1568 the Hall was the final
refuge for Mary Queen of Scots before her imprisonment and eventual
execution. During the Second World War the Hall was billeted and
suffered a fire. Since then it has become a classified ruin. You
can also view a full plan of
Workington Hall.
Events and activities
The Hall is a
perfect venue for all sorts of activities. September 2001 saw the
Battle of Curwen Hall, a heritage re-enactment day which attracted
over 3000 visitors. The Hall is also the perfect venue for wedding
photographs and is used by drama groups to stage outdoor
performances. The Hall will be open as a venue
for the 2005 Lions and Curwen Fair this summer, please contact
heritage.arts@allerdale.gov.uk
for details.
Appraisal of the Options Regarding the Future Development of
Workington Hall and Curwen Park
The first phase of this project is now complete. A
comprehensive Conservation Management Plan has been produced by
architects Lloyd Evans Pritchard, working to the project steering
group. The next phase will involve looking at the options for
future development. This work will be completed by the end of
April 2006. Allerdale Council is being supported with this
project by West Lakes Renaissance, Cumbria County Council, the
Workington Partnership, English Heritage, the Workington and
District Civic Trust, and the Workington Heritage Group.
The Plan and the Gazetteer can be downloaded below.