Smithills Hall is a Grade I listed manor house on the edge of the West Pennine Moors, with rooms running from medieval and Tudor through to Victorian, formal gardens, and a reputation for ghosts that the council leans into rather than away from. Entry is free, which makes it an easy hour to bolt on to something else.
That something else is usually Smithills Open Farm, a little further along Smithills Dean Road. The hall keeps odd hours, Wednesday to Friday and Sunday afternoons only, so plan the day around it. There is a car park right outside, a shop, and the Bake and Roast tea room, open Wednesday to Sunday.
What it costs: Admission free. Open Wednesday to Friday 10am to 4pm and Sunday 12pm to 4pm; closed Monday, Tuesday and Saturday.
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