Astley Hall
ENTRY
Free
SETTING
Outdoors
WHERE
Chorley
What it’s like
Free entry to a 400 year old hall with a play area, a walled garden and a café for cake afterwards.
There's a proper play area, the Royalists' Retreat, plus toddler bits for the smaller ones, so you're not just dragging children round old rooms all afternoon. The hall itself covers 400 years of history, and while the West Wing is mid-restoration, the ground floor of the east wing is open to wander through. The Walled Garden is the sort of spot to let the day slow down a bit once you've done the rooms.
Getting in costs nothing, which counts for a lot when you're not sure how long a four-year-old will last with history. That said, the hours are tight: Wednesday to Sunday, 11am to 3pm, and closed Monday and Tuesday, so this isn't a spontaneous rainy-Tuesday rescue. Four hours is the whole window, so turning up at 11 rather than 2 makes sense if you want time in both the hall and the garden.
Café Ambio does breakfast through to lunch and cake, with regionally sourced food. Between the play area, the garden and the café, it's a manageable half-day rather than an all-in one, which suits younger kids who tend to run out of steam by mid-afternoon anyway.
What’s on here
Facilities
Need to know
- Food
- Café Ambio serving breakfast, lunch, coffee and cake with regionally sourced food
- Open Wednesday to Sunday only, 11am to 3pm, closed Mondays and Tuesdays
- West Wing is closed for restoration, but the east wing ground floor is open
- Entry is free, so it's an easy one to fit round a nap or a picnic
- Bring a picnic for the Walled Garden if you'd rather not eat at the café
Plan your visit
How much does it cost?
Entry's free. You'd just be paying for whatever you eat at the café.
What are the opening hours?
Wednesday to Sunday, 11am to 3pm, for spring and summer 2026. It's shut Mondays and Tuesdays.
Is there somewhere for the kids to play outside?
Yes, the Royalists' Retreat play area, plus separate toddler play spots and the Walled Garden.
Do we need to book ahead?
There's nothing to suggest you need to book, so you can just turn up within the opening hours.
Is the whole hall open?
The West Wing's under restoration at the moment, but the ground floor of the east wing is open to the public.
Is there food on site?
Café Ambio does breakfast, lunch, coffee and cake, and there's a picnic area if you'd rather bring your own.
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