Bygone Burnley: historian Roger Frost delves into the history of the hamlet of Hurstwood

Our first part sees Dominic and Roger visit the picturesque hamlet of Hurstwood, located between Worsthorne and Cliviger.

As Roger says in the video, “every building in Hurstwood has a story” and a fascinating one at that. Indeed, we hear tales of secret Catholic chapels, esteemed Tudor poets, famous bloodstock traders and centuries-old farms.

The idyllic Ivy Cottage, now a private residence, was thought to have at one stage been a secret Catholic chapel during Elizabethan times when practicising the Roman faith could have resulted in death or imprisonment. Burnley’s most prominent historical family, the Towneleys, also practised their Catholic faith in strict privacy.

Moving on to Spenser’s House, Roger tells the tale of renowned Tudor poet Edmund Spenser, author of The Faeirie Queen, who is supposed to have stayed at the house while writing his Shephers’ Corner.

We also see Hurstwood Hall, built by Barnard Towneley and his wife Agnes in 1579. This particular Towneley, Roger reveals, was an assistant to renowned architect Sir Christopher Wren at the time of building St Paul’s Cathedral.

Roger then regales us with tales of famous bloodstock trader and Jacobite supporter Richard Tattersall who left Hurstwood to make his fortune and name in London, entertaining no less than the Prince of Wales who later became King George IV.

Take a look at our video for more on the fascinating history of Hurstwood.