Restoration of 17th century Foxdenton Hall to bring film-set fantasy to life
Foxdenton Hall, a 17th-century Grade II listed building in Chadderton, is undergoing restoration thanks to a £228,000 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund and £119,000 from Oldham Council. This marks the first phase of a £3.5 million project to transform the hall into a community hub, heritage attraction, and business hub. The hall, once home to suffragist Lydia Becker, has been vacant for 14 years. The project is led by charity Chadderton Together in partnership with Oldham Council. The Mayor of Oldham and other officials praised the project for its community and heritage value.
Foxdenton Hall rises from 14-year slumber with £347,000 rescue cash
Chadderton’s 17th-century Foxdenton Hall stirred back to life on Wednesday as civic leaders and volunteers toasted the first £347,000 tranche of a £3.5 million restoration that will pull the vacant mansion from ruin and turn it into a film-set-worthy community hub.
The National Lottery Heritage Fund has pledged £228,000 and Oldham Council £119,000 to launch the rescue, led by charity Chadderton Together. Without the grant, the Grade II-listed building—once home to suffragist Lydia Becker and the Royalist Radclyffe family—would have continued to crumble after sitting empty since 2010.
Mayor Cllr Eddie Moores, who has adopted the hall as one of his civic charities, told flag-waving visitors on the lawn: “This historic building means a lot to local people. Foxdenton Hall is more than a building, it is about community, heritage, and opportunity. Supporting this project is a personal priority for me, and I am committed to helping ensure it succeeds.”
Deputy Council Leader Cllr Elaine Taylor praised the volunteers who run Lydia’s Tearoom—converted from a derelict bowling pavilion—as “the engine room” of the effort. “Together, we are giving this building back to the people,” she said, promising classrooms, enterprise suites and a revived 17th-century walled garden once the full £2.27 million delivery grant is secured.
Graham Taylor of Chadderton Together summed up the mood as visitors sipped tea beneath the mullioned windows: “If you could bring your dream house to life, this would be it. It does look like it’s from the set of a period drama.”
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