Clayton Hall Living History Museum @claytonhall.org · 30/08/2026Humphrey Chetham died at Clayton Hall in 1653, but his funeral was anything but modest. A grand procession of 40 blue-coated boys, poor men and local gentry made its way to Manchester Cathedral. His legacy lives on through education and Chetham's Library. 000
Clayton Hall Living History Museum @claytonhall.org · 30/08/2026Happy Pride, Manchester! This weekend Pride is back in the heart of the Gay Village – and back in community hands. However you’re celebrating, look after yourselves, look after one another and stay safe. Happy Pride from everyone at Clayton Hall! 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️ 010
Clayton Hall Living History Museum @claytonhall.org · 22/08/2026One of the country's first municipal parks, Philips Park, turns 180 today! In our latest article, Clayton Hall volunteer Graham Travis takes us through the park’s remarkable history, illustrated with old photographs and new ones by Gill Bennett. Read more here: claytonhall.org/philips-park/ 010
Reposted by Clayton Hall Living History MuseumBrian Groom @groomb.bsky.social · 20/08/2026Blue plaque unveiled to mark 1964 gig at a Manchester railway station by Sister Rosetta Tharpe, the 'godmother of rock and roll'. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...bbc.co.ukGodmother of rock and roll's Manchester station gig honouredThe blues guitarist and vocalist Sister Rosetta Tharpe performed at an empty station for TV. 462809653
Clayton Hall Living History Museum @claytonhall.org · 19/08/2026Did you know Humphrey Chetham’s nephew, George Traves, lived with him at Clayton Hall in his later years? A trusted member of the household, George was also named as one of the overseers of Humphrey’s will. 000
Clayton Hall Living History Museum @claytonhall.org · 18/08/2026We were pleased to welcome the Let’s Go group from Salford u3a at Clayton Hall during their group visit, and we received some lovely feedback. We hope to see you all again very soon. 🔍Our next free open day to the public is on Saturday 5th September. Plan your visit: claytonhall.org 000
Clayton Hall Living History Museum @claytonhall.org · 17/08/2026Thank you to Andrew Brunton for posting these wonderful photos on Google Review from your visit to Clayton Hall on Saturday. We hope you all had a wonderful time and hope to see you again very soon! 🔍Our next free open day is Saturday 5th September. Plan your visit: claytonhall.org 010
Clayton Hall Living History Museum @claytonhall.org · 14/08/2026Thank you, Stephen, for your lovely review about your recent visit to Clayton Hall. It means the world to our volunteers who help make every open day special. Our next free open day is tomorrow, Saturday 15th August. Doors open at 11am. Plan your visit: claytonhall.org 000
Clayton Hall Living History Museum @claytonhall.org · 14/08/2026What's in your manbag? In 1991, Esther Rantzen asked the men of Manchester what they kept in theirs on the BBC show That's Life. www.bbc.co.uk/videos/cdj0e...bbc.co.uk1991: Manbags in ManchesterRichard Creme took to the streets of Manchester to find out what men keep in their manbags 010
Clayton Hall Living History Museum @claytonhall.org · 08/08/2026One of Manchester United’s first great captains was made in Clayton. ⚽ Charlie Roberts led United to their first League title and FA Cup, helped found the players’ union, later ran a local tobacco business, and is buried at St Cross. 🔍Read more here: claytonhall.org/charlieroberts/ 000
Clayton Hall Living History Museum @claytonhall.org · 08/08/2026Clayton Hall is open to the public, free of charge, on Saturday 15th August. Doors open 11am, last entry 3pm. Hands-on stuff in every room, winding staircases and costumed Victorians make Clayton Hall a fun place to explore. 🔍Visit claytonhall.org 010
Clayton Hall Living History Museum @claytonhall.org · 07/08/2026Did you know Clayton once had its own major car manufacturer? Belsize Motors built cars at its Clayton Lane works, employing more than 1,000 people at its height, including women munitions workers during WWI. Read the story: claytonhall.org/belsize/ 030
Clayton Hall Living History Museum @claytonhall.org · 05/08/2026From infants and juniors to the Boys’ High School, Ravensbury Street School shaped generations of Clayton children. Explore class photos, football teams, school trips, tree planting and the story of 'Between Ourselves'. Read more here: claytonhall.org/ravensbury-street/ 010
Clayton Hall Living History Museum @claytonhall.org · 04/08/2026High Sheriff of Lancashire, possible inspiration for Shakespeare’s Berowne, and owner of one magnificent beard. Meet Sir John Byron: “Little Sir John with the Great Beard”. He lived at Clayton Hall in the mid-1500s, before inheriting Newstead Abbey in 1567. 000
Clayton Hall Living History Museum @claytonhall.org · 01/08/2026All dressed up and ready for afternoon tea in Clayton Hall’s drawing room! ☕🎩 Thank you for visiting us and for allowing us to share these fabulous photographs from your visit. We hope you had a wonderful time! 🔍Visit claytonhall.org 000
Clayton Hall Living History Museum @claytonhall.org · 01/08/2026A huge thank you to Graham for donating his hand-painted figure of Sir Thomas Fairfax. Fairfax and his troops visited Clayton Hall en route to Nantwich in January 1644. It joins Graham’s earlier figure of Oliver Cromwell. 010
Clayton Hall Living History Museum @claytonhall.org · 01/08/2026A huge thank you to everyone who visited Clayton Hall today! Our next free open day is Saturday 15th August. We hope to see you then. 1/2 110
Clayton Hall Living History Museum @claytonhall.org · 01/08/2026"This quiche is gorgeous. It's better than Mark's & Spencer's, and that's saying summat." — Another satisfied visitor enjoying our Pauline's homemade quiche. Our museum and tea room is open til 3pm today, why not pay us a visit? 🔍Visit claytonhall.org 000
Clayton Hall Living History Museum @claytonhall.org · 31/07/2026Philips Park celebrates its 180th anniversary this year! In our latest article, Clayton Hall volunteers Graham Travis and Gill Bennett take us through the park’s remarkable history, illustrated with photographs old and new. Read more here: claytonhall.org/philips-park/ 000
Clayton Hall Living History Museum @claytonhall.org · 30/07/2026Get ready to step back in time this Saturday, 1st August. Hands-on stuff in every room, winding staircases and costumed Victorians make Clayton Hall a fun place to explore. Doors open at 11am (last entry 3pm). 🔍Plan your visit: claytonhall.org/visit/ 000
Clayton Hall Living History Museum @claytonhall.org · 30/07/2026This wonderful 1937 photograph shows Clayton Old Hall Old Men’s Association before its 8th annual outing to Morecambe. The group may have formed around 1929 and perhaps met at Clayton Hall. Its oldest member, Mr W. Howarth, was 82. 000
Clayton Hall Living History Museum @claytonhall.org · 30/07/2026Thank you to Out in the City for visiting Clayton Hall today! We loved welcoming you and hope everyone had a wonderful time. Take a look at their fabulous photos from the visit: outinthecity.org/portfolio/clayton-hall-29-7-26/ 100
Clayton Hall Living History Museum @claytonhall.org · 28/07/2026A journey through time: North Road, from Edge Lane to Ashton New Road. These first views show its semi-rural upper end around 1890: villas standing among fields and gardens, including Ashley Villa at the Edge Lane junction, which still survives. 100
Clayton Hall Living History Museum @claytonhall.org · 27/07/2026Clayton Hall’s medieval story is closely tied to the Byron family. Pictured is Sir John Byron, “Little Sir John with the Great Beard”, who lived at Clayton before inheriting Newstead Abbey. Long before literary fame, the Byron name had deep local roots. 011
Clayton Hall Living History Museum @claytonhall.org · 27/07/2026Born in Clayton in 1902, Leonard “Len” Johnson became one of Britain’s finest boxers. Over an eleven-year professional career, he fought 127 contests and won 92, defeating some of the leading fighters of his generation. 1/5 100
Clayton Hall Living History Museum @claytonhall.org · 26/07/2026The “Nunnery” once dominated the skyline above Clayton Vale. Formerly Culcheth Hall, it became St Mary’s Home for the Aged, run by the Little Sisters of the Poor. It closed in the early 1970s and was later demolished. Keeley Close now occupies most of the site. 000
Clayton Hall Living History Museum @claytonhall.org · 25/07/2026Q: Why are there two Eastern By Passes, one in Clayton and one in Openshaw? A: They were meant to be one road. Using archive photos from Manchester Libraries, maps and plans, we’ve traced its route through East Manchester. Read the story here: claytonhall.org/eastern-by-p... 000
Clayton Hall Living History Museum @claytonhall.org · 24/07/2026A fascinating survival from Clayton’s industrial past: an advertising blotter for Wm. Robinson & Co. of Clayton Ltd, makers of “Pure Malt Vinegar” used for fish and chips, pickling, preserving and cooking. 112
Clayton Hall Living History Museum @claytonhall.org · 24/07/2026Clayton Hall’s Civil War story links it to the great upheavals of the 17th century. Humphrey Chetham helped finance Parliament’s cause, and Sir Thomas Fairfax stayed here with his troops. Cromwell is also said to have visited, though no evidence has yet been found. 121
Clayton Hall Living History Museum @claytonhall.org · 24/07/2026After the Second World War, prefabs offered thousands of families a quick, modern answer to Britain’s housing crisis. These 1963 photographs show examples on Combe Avenue and Pioneer Street, Clayton, long since demolished, but fondly remembered by many who called them home. 010
Clayton Hall Living History Museum @claytonhall.org · 24/07/2026Today, Clayton Vale is known for its woodland and wildlife, but it once contained an isolation hospital used to protect Manchester from infectious disease. By the 1890s, Clayton Vale Hospital was treating smallpox patients, safely separated from the city’s crowded streets. 1/3 101
Clayton Hall Living History Museum @claytonhall.org · 23/07/2026Thank you so much for this wonderful review! Clayton Hall is entirely volunteer-run, so being described as a “hidden gem” means the world to us. Enjoy your visit? Leave us a review and help us hold on to our #1 spot of things to do in Manchester: tinyurl.com/ClaytonHallTripAdvisor 010
Clayton Hall Living History Museum @claytonhall.org · 23/07/2026We’re incredibly proud to have been ranked #6 in TransPennine Express’s Top 10 Hidden Gems across the North of England and Scotland! A wonderful recognition of Clayton Hall, its remarkable history and the dedicated volunteers who bring it to life. 👇 132
Clayton Hall Living History Museum @claytonhall.org · 23/07/2026This aerial photograph shows Manchester Corporation's new council housing estate in Clayton in 1925, over 100 years ago. Look closely and you'll notice something missing: there is no Folkestone Hotel and no shops on Folkestone Road. The estate was still brand new. 1/5 110
Clayton Hall Living History Museum @claytonhall.org · 23/07/2026Many Clayton residents have fond memories of Hewlett Johnson Playing Fields. Johnson, born in Manchester in 1874, became Dean of Canterbury and was known as the “Red Dean” for his Christian socialism and controversial support for the Soviet Union. 1/2 100
Clayton Hall Living History Museum @claytonhall.org · 22/07/2026A few snaps from our scrapbook following Clayton Hall’s reopening on 18th July! Thank you again to Brian Stark for these wonderful photographs. We’ll next be open on Saturday 1st August. Hope to see you then! 🔍Visit claytonhall.org 000
Clayton Hall Living History Museum @claytonhall.org · 22/07/2026After a successful reopening on Saturday, our Trustees met this evening to plan future events at Clayton Hall. Exciting things are coming, so watch this space! Bonus snaps of two leafy locals looking particularly splendid this evening. 🌳🌳 000
Clayton Hall Living History Museum @claytonhall.org · 22/07/2026Clayton's Bank Street Baths and Wash House opened on 17 December 1931, providing public baths and laundry facilities at a time when many local homes had no bathroom or running hot water. Buildings like these transformed public health and everyday life for thousands of Manchester families. 000
Clayton Hall Living History Museum @claytonhall.org · 21/07/2026125 years apart. From Clayton Hall’s restoration in 1901, attended by Lord Mayor Sir James Hoy, to its reopening in 2026 with our patron Sir Warren Smith, former Lord Mayor Carmine Grimshaw, volunteers and visitors. A Hall truly open to the whole community. 001
Clayton Hall Living History Museum @claytonhall.org · 20/07/2026A huge thank you to Adam and the team at Warden Construction Ltd for their outstanding work throughout Clayton Hall’s renovations. Adam was a constant presence on site, overseeing the project with care, professionalism and real respect for our historic hidden gem. 000
Clayton Hall Living History Museum @claytonhall.org · 18/07/2026A huge thank you to photographer Brian Stark for giving his time to take photos at Clayton Hall today, we can't wait to see them! And thank you to our visitors for your incredible generosity, we’ve never had a day with so many donations. Every penny helps us care for the Hall and keep it open. 000
Clayton Hall Living History Museum @claytonhall.org · 18/07/2026A huge thank you to our volunteer Simon, who has loaned us an original 1654 document issued in the name of Oliver Cromwell, complete with part of its wax seal, alongside a collection of Civil War musket balls. Fascinating survivors from a turbulent period in our history! 010
Clayton Hall Living History Museum @claytonhall.org · 18/07/2026Thanks to everyone who visited Clayton Hall today, we hope you had a great time! Enjoy your visit? Leave us a review and help us hold on to our #1 spot of things to do in Manchester: tinyurl.com/ClaytonHallTripAdvisor 000
Clayton Hall Living History Museum @claytonhall.org · 18/07/2026Clayton Hall’s Free Open Days are back! Explore Manchester’s only moated hall, hands-on stuff in every room, and visit our tearoom for affordable homemade food. 🕚 11am–3pm 🎟️ Free entry 📅 Selected Saturdays until November See below for all dates. 👇 011
Clayton Hall Living History Museum @claytonhall.org · 18/07/2026Clayton Hall re-opens TODAY, Saturday 18th July. Join us for our grand re-opening as we welcome visitors back to one of Manchester’s most remarkable historic treasures. Doors open at 11am with last entry at 3pm. Plan your visit: claytonhall.org 001
Clayton Hall Living History Museum @claytonhall.org · 17/07/2026Clayton Hall re-opens tomorrow, Saturday 18th July. Join us for our grand re-opening as we welcome visitors back to one of Manchester’s most remarkable historic treasures. Doors open at 11am with last entry at 3pm. Plan your visit: claytonhall.org 132
Clayton Hall Living History Museum @claytonhall.org · 17/07/2026The countdown is over… Clayton Hall reopens this Saturday, 18 July, at 11am! Join us for hands-on history, Victorian rooms, dressing up, local stories and plenty to explore around Manchester’s only moated site with a house. See you there! 🔍Visit claytonhall.org 011
Clayton Hall Living History Museum @claytonhall.org · 17/07/2026Celebrate 180 years of Philips Park! Opened on 22 August 1846, Philips Park was one of the country’s very first municipal parks, created for the free use and enjoyment of local people. 1/2 100
Clayton Hall Living History Museum @claytonhall.org · 16/07/2026Clayton Hall re-opens on Saturday 18th July. Join us for our grand re-opening as we welcome visitors back to one of Manchester’s most remarkable historic treasures. Doors open at 11am with last entry at 3pm. Plan your visit: claytonhall.org 000
Clayton Hall Living History Museum @claytonhall.org · 16/07/2026Witch marks (or apotropaic marks) have very little to do with witches or witchcraft. Created by the people who built Clayton Hall over 500 years ago, these markings are believed to have turned away evil, providing protection to the building and those who lived or worked at the Hall. 032