So we were heading away from the Lakes and we try to look for somewhere to stop off to break up the journey. Normally this would be in Lakeland and involve a longer drive to Plymouth, but this time we drove a bit and then headed to somewhere. Rufford Old Hall was our choice, firstly because it was National Trust which suited our membership and because, more importantly, Linda’s family had descended from that area. Linda has done a fair bit of tracing of her family in the past, from her Nelson family, the Mawdesley’s and the Caunce’s, Linda has looked. Her family had congregated around the North West, and the Burscough boat people kept coming up, this visit to the area may throw up some names or two to follow up in the future. It did and then some. As for Rufford Hall it was a good stop off and gave us a shorter drive home, as well as a chance to see a lovely area.
Our first look at Rufford Old HallRufford Old Hall is a survivor of the Tudor’s 1500’s, certainly the right hand side here.
Inside the Great Hall
And the other direction towards the vast carved oak screen
My youngest is his knight’s phase!The back of Rufford Old HallSt Mary the Virgin churchAnd inside
The reason for our look around was actually the canal just down the road, and around the corner from Rufford old Hall. Linda’s family where Burscough boat people, so they worked on and around the canal. so we went for a look. To see her family name of Mawdesley and Caunce on the World War 1 memorial was a surprise.
We went for a look outside to check the names, the grave stones were full of Caunce’s, a rare name but around 15-20 grave stones in the graveyard around this church, with 2 or 3 names on each stone. Linda has some ancestry homework to look through.
Lots of Caunce’s
Lots from the 1760s right through to the 1980s
Spread out across the churchyardThe Leeds and Liverpool Canal, the “marina” behindLooking the other way along the canal, Rufford Old Hall is about 500 metres along the canal on the left, in theory Linda’s ancestors would have been well aware of the house we visited today, and sailed past it. Always a very humbling thought when you consider it. All that was left was the 300 miles drive home at the end of the day, completed without too much traffic.
What a fabulous find that graveyard was for Linda, and Rufford Old Hall looks beautiful. I might look out for it if I get chance to head over that way.
What a beautiful building! We have a handful of Tudor buildings in our area, and they are lovely. A great find for the family history searching too, and a nice way to make that connection to ancestors.
I visited Rufford Old Hall when I was living in Manchester. It is a lovely area and the canal is nice there. Let’s hope that Linda can find if they were part of her family.
We used to have NT membership when the kids were younger but we’ve not done one of their sites for many years. This one is not that far from Liverpool where my son is so well worth a trip at some point
Its a good little house and a real rabbits warren upstairs of bedrooms and staircases. We were given a leaflet of a walk around the area and just by chance had a look around the church which was lovely
treksandtors 
What a fabulous find that graveyard was for Linda, and Rufford Old Hall looks beautiful. I might look out for it if I get chance to head over that way.
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We like Rufford. Well worth a visit.
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What a beautiful building! We have a handful of Tudor buildings in our area, and they are lovely. A great find for the family history searching too, and a nice way to make that connection to ancestors.
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A beautiful day to visit and some fascinating family history. I have family living in Burscough.
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As ever a great read
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Don’t think I’ve ever come across this old place. Looks lovely though
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I visited Rufford Old Hall when I was living in Manchester. It is a lovely area and the canal is nice there. Let’s hope that Linda can find if they were part of her family.
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We used to have NT membership when the kids were younger but we’ve not done one of their sites for many years. This one is not that far from Liverpool where my son is so well worth a trip at some point
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Its a good little house and a real rabbits warren upstairs of bedrooms and staircases. We were given a leaflet of a walk around the area and just by chance had a look around the church which was lovely
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Blimey – I opened the post, saw the first photo and only then remembered that we’ve been there! Long time ago though – definitely due another visit.
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