Lightshaw Hall
Lightshaw Hall in 2006
Location within Greater Manchester
General information
Location	Lightshaw Lane, Golborne, Greater Manchester, England
Coordinates	53°29′28″N 2°34′55″W / 53.49120°N 2.582°W / 53.49120; -2.582
Year built	16th century
Renovated	18th and 19th centuries (rebuilt)
Listed Building – Grade II*
Official name	Lightshaw Hall
Designated	15 November 1966
Reference no.	1261780

Lightshaw Hall is a Grade II* listed building on Lightshaw Lane in Golborne, a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan, Greater Manchester, England. Historically part of Lancashire, it is a farmhouse that originally dates from the 16th century and was largely rebuilt in brick during the 18th and 19th centuries. The building is noted for its architectural and historical significance and is now a private residence.

Lightshaw Hall originated as a timber-framed farmhouse in the 16th century. Over time, it underwent substantial alterations, being largely rebuilt in brick during the 18th and 19th centuries. The site is believed to have been moated, indicating its importance in the local agrarian landscape.^[1]

On 15 November 1966, Lightshaw Hall was designated a Grade II* listed building for its architectural and historic significance.^[2]

A dendrochronological analysis of timbers from the west (solar) wing of the hall indicates that seven samples crossmatched to form a tree-ring chronology spanning from 1414 to 1552, with one timber retaining its bark edge and dating to the spring of 1553. This suggests that the solar wing was erected in the mid-16th century, shortly after felling. Additional timbers—a tie-beam and a possible sill beam—produced earlier date ranges (1150 to 1209 and 1106 to 1270), indicating the reuse of older material and providing evidence of an earlier building on the site.^[3]

Lightshaw Hall is currently in use as a private residence and is not open to the public.^[4]

The building comprises a tall two-storey range, which reflects the form of the original timber-framed structure, alongside a lower two-storey wing that was added later. The brickwork features English garden wall bond and Flemish bond, with most of the masonry dating from the early 19th century. The roof is constructed from graduated stone slates.^[1]

Architectural details include casement windows, some of which are mullioned, set with stone sills and flat brick arches. A horizontally sliding sash window is located on the right return, while timber framing is visible externally only in the wall plate and two rear posts. The structure also incorporates a ridge chimney stack, contributing to its distinctive silhouette.^[2]

Internally, Lightshaw Hall retains two Gothic-moulded beams and roof trusses with braced and cusped members. These features represent an important survival of early construction techniques and highlight the building's architectural significance.^[1]

The hall lies close to Lightshaw Meadows, an area of open countryside comprising wetlands within the Abram Flashes. The landscape developed over many years as a result of mining subsidence, reflecting the influence of Wigan's industrial heritage on the local environment. The site covers approximately 44 acres (18 ha), of which 32 acres (13 ha) have been designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). In recent decades, the condition of the SSSI has been assessed by Natural England as "unfavourable."^[5]

In recent years, Community Forest North West and the Lancashire Wildlife Trust have undertaken restoration work to return the site to "favourable" condition, enhancing habitats for species such as yellow wagtail, lapwing, and willow tit, as well as bats, water voles, and various invertebrates.^[5]

• Grade II* listed buildings in Greater Manchester
• Listed buildings in Golborne