Earlier Houses: There were a number of earlier buildings on the site of the current house, including Medieval Benedictine monastic buildings and a 17th century house, which was demolished by Thomas Clifton in 1757 to make way for the present house.

Built / Designed For: Thomas Clifton

House & Family History: Lytham was the seat of the Clifton family for over 350 years. William, Thomas, and James Clifton all took part in the Lancashire Plot conspiracy to restore James II to the throne and were consequently all arrested and taken to the Tower of London in 1689. In the 1963 the Cliftons sold up to Guardian Royal Exchange, who purchased the house for their training center. In 1996 Guardian Royal put the house and its contents, including all the Clifton family collections, up for sale. The Lytham Town Trust was able to acquire the house in 1997 (but not the contents, which included Gillows furniture and the Clifton family portraits) with the help of a £1 million donation from British Aerospace. The Trust subsequently received funding to upgrade the west wing of the house (formerly the chapel) and convert it into a conference center, tearoom, and restaurant. Evelyn Waugh was a visitor to Lytham and may have written parts of "Brideshead Revisited" while staying at the house.

Comments: Lytham Hall is considered the finest Georgian house in Lancashire.

Garden & Outbuildings: The entrance gates to Lytham are from Hastings Place, where they were removed with the coming of the railway. When the Clifton family sold the estate in 1963, most of the land was sold for housing; 78 acres were retained (including two lakes) around the house, which is still intact today. The gatehouses are Grade II-listed.

John 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. 195, 1853. 2.S. Vol. II, p. 128, 1855.

Country Life: CXXVII, 130, 188, 1960.

House Listed: Grade I

Park Listed: Grade II

Past Seat / Home of: SEATED AT EARLIER HOUSE: Sir Cuthbert Clifton, 17th century. SEATED AT CURRENT HOUSE: Thomas Clifton, 18th century; Clifton family here until 1963.

Current Ownership Type: Charity / Nonprofit

Primary Current Ownership Use: Visitor Attraction

Ownership Details: Owned by Lytham Town Trust

House Open to Public: Yes

Phone: 01253-736-652

Fax: 01253-737-656

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://www.lythamhall.org.uk

Historic Houses Member: Yes