The oldest part of the house dates from the early to mid-17th century. An inscription over the outer doorway to the porch contains the date of 1639.[2] Although historians have supposed that the house was a residence of the Shuttleworth family of Gawthorpe Hall in Padiham, Shuttleworth Hall's connection to that branch of the family is unclear.[3] By 1856, the building was described as a farmhouse, and it now consists of two separate dwellings.[1][3] In April 1953, the house was designated a Grade I listed building. The Grade I listing is for buildings "of exceptional interest, sometimes considered to be internationally important".[4] The garden wall and arched gateway are separately designated with a Grade II* listing.
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Architecture
The house is constructed of coursed rubble sandstone with roofs of stone slate.[1][2] Its plan is H-shaped and it is built on two stories.[6] Most of the windows have mullions and transoms; the hall windows are not mullioned.[6] A garden to the south (front) of the house is enclosed by a wall with a segmental-arched gateway.[2]
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