Rufford New Hall

Rufford New Hall
Rufford New Hall in 1818
Location within the Borough of West Lancashire
General information
Architectural style	Georgian
Town or city	Rufford
Country	England
Coordinates	53°38′27″N 2°49′27″W / 53.6409°N 2.8242°W / 53.6409; -2.8242
Completed	1798
Client	Robert Hesketh
Technical details
Structural system	Brick with stucco
Listed Building – Grade II
Designated	2 December 1986
Reference no.	1361855

Rufford New Hall is a former country house that belonged to the Heskeths who were lords of the manor of Rufford, Lancashire, England. It replaced Rufford Old Hall as their residence in 1760. From 1920 to 1987 it was used as a hospital and has subsequently been restored and converted for residential use. It was designated a Grade II listed building in 1986.

Rufford New Hall was built in 1760. The country house was built by Sir Robert Hesketh and enlarged by his grandson around 1798-9 when the Heskeths left Rufford Old Hall. Heskeths lived at Rufford New Hall until 1919.

The hall is built in brick which was formerly stuccoed. It has a low-pitched hipped slate roof concealed by a low parapet. The two storey symmetrical frontage has a five-bay facade with an Ionic portico of unfluted columns over a wide doorway with a fanlight. The hall has four 15-paned sashed windows on the ground floor, with five 12-paned windows on the first. Some spout heads bear the initials of Sir Thomas Dalrymple Hesketh and the date 1811 and one is dated 1822. The entrance hall has a cantilevered or flying stone staircase and landing on three sides with wrought iron balusters and is lighted by a domed oval skylight. The main hall has columns and pilasters made from Scagliola marble.

Rufford New Hall was bought by Lancashire County Council in 1920 and converted for use as a hospital. Rufford Pulmonary Hospital opened on 6 August 1926. It had 50 beds to treat patients with tuberculosis. Subsequently it was used by the NHS as a pre-convalescent hospital until its closure in 1987. The convalescent hospital was administered by Ormskirk District General Hospital.