Haigh, Wigan
Greater Manchester
England
Historic County: LancashireStart Date: 1827
Completion Date: 1840
Status: Fully Extant
House Open to Public: No
Country House: Yes
A woodcut engraving of the house from an 1873 edition of "The Illustrated London News"
Earlier Houses: The current house replaced an earlier house that was collapsing from mining subsidence.
Built / Designed For: James Lindsay, 24th Earl of Crawford and 7th Earl of Balcarres, to his own design.
House & Family History: This amazing house was built by the 24th Earl of Crawford to his own design. The new house cost the enormous sum of £100,000 and replaced an earlier house that was collapsing from mining subsidence. The stone for Haigh is ashlar from Parbold and was cut mechanically (for the first time, it is claimed) by a machine invented by Lord Crawford. The ironwork was also designed by Lord Crawford and includes the unique "sympathetic" hinges of the French windows. The house contains an early 18th century curved wooden staircase made by Tim Runnigar of Wigan (saved from the earlier house). The staircase hall has a plaster vault and glazed oculus in the style of Soane. The Prince and Princess of Wales visited Haigh in 1871 (the house was redecorated for the visit). In 1940 the 28th Earl of Crawford sold Haigh and retreated to his primary seat at Balcarres in Fife. The house and park were sold in 1947 to the Wigan city government. The Earl of Crawford is the premier Scottish earl.
Collections: The 25th Earl of Crawford had one of the finest private libraries in Europe at Haigh; after his death it was sold and is now part of the John Ryland Library in Manchester.
Garden & Outbuildings: Haigh stands in a wooded and wild park. During the Lancashire cotton famine of 1861-63 forty miles of walks were made in the plantations to provide local employment.
Architect: James Lindsay (Crawford and Balcarres)
Date: 1827-40John Bernard (J.B.) Burke, published under the title of A Visitation of the Seats and Arms of the Noblemen and Gentlemen of Great Britain and Ireland, among other titles: Vol. II, p. 8, 1853.
Title: Guide to the Country Houses of the North-West, A
Author: Robinson, John Martin
Year Published: 1991
Publisher: London: Constable and Company Limited
ISBN: 0094699208
Book Type: Hardback
House Listed: Grade II*
Park Listed: Not Listed
Past Seat / Home of: Bradshaigh family. James Lindsay, 24th Earl of Crawford and 7th Earl of Balcarre, 19th century; Lindsay family here until 1940.
Current Ownership Type: Government
Primary Current Ownership Use: Unoccupied
Ownership Details: Owned by Metropolitan Borough of Wigan
House Open to Public: No
Historic Houses Member: No