Martholme

In the 13th century, the house belonged to the de Fitton family. After the Civil War the Hesketh family, as Catholics, were heavily fined, losing much of their land at Great Harwood. As a result, Martholme was neglected. It is now a private residence but much of the house has been demolished. It has been designated a Grade I listed building by English Heritage.

Martholme is constructed, to a T-shaped floor plan, of sandstone rubble, now rendered, with a slate roof. It was originally surrounded by a moat, of which there are still traces. The 16th-century gatehouse is about 75 ft south of the house. It too is built of sandstone, with slate roofs. It is rectangular and measures approximately 43 ft by 20 ft. The entrance is a round stone archway. The building has three bays and is on two storeys. English Heritage designated the house a Grade I listed building on 11 July 1966. The Grade I designation—the highest of the three grades—is for buildings "of exceptional interest, sometimes considered to be internationally important". The gatehouse has…