The History of Barton Grange Hotel

Barton Grange was built in 1900, as a country residence for Mr John Healey, a Justice of the Peace and local cotton mill owner.

Levi Collison, described in the deeds as “a country gentleman from St. Annes on Sea”, purchased the house in 1925 and was still living here in 1940 when the house was requisitioned by the War Office as a mess for officers of the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force. Several years ago a guest staying in the hotel explained that he had been the requisitioning officer and that Mr Collison had chased him away with a shotgun and he had had to return with a police officer!

In 1945 Edward and Ada Topping were running a market gardening business in New Longton, west of Preston. Ada was looking for a large house to run as a bed and breakfast whilst Edward continued market gardening from the grounds. Barton Grange appeared to be tailor-made and they successfully purchased it at auction for £6,450. Unfortunately it was not de-requisitioned until 1950, by which time “it was in a dreadful state”.

Nonetheless Ada set about transforming it and opened for business on the 16th July 1951 with 6 bedrooms. Trade increased steadily and bedrooms were added in the 1950s and ‘60s and the ballroom in 1960 before significant expansion in the 1970s and again in the ‘90s.

During the 1996/7 works, plans from 1901 were discovered; for a Walled Garden to the south of the house. This garden was re-created in faithful detail, had a roof put on it and became The Walled Garden Bistro.

The hotel now has 51 bedrooms, a leisure centre, 2 restaurants and conference and banqueting facilities for 300 but the original house is still at its heart. (You can see the lintel announcing “1900” as you enter the panelled lounge through the original front doors – although you’re now twenty yards inside the building at this point!).

In 1963 Edward Topping Junior (“Eddie”) started a garden centre in the grounds – the first in the north west of England. This too started very small, little more than a cabin, but is now very well established and widely known. Eddie also established Barton Grange Landscapes and a wholesale plant growing division, both of which are still going strong and there is another Barton Grange Garden Centre at Bolton. Eddie’s sons Peter and Guy run the Landscape/Wholesale and Garden Centre Divisions respectively.

Eddie also ran the hotel for 20 years from his mother’s retirement in the mid ‘70s before handing over to his other little boy!

Ian Topping, May 2006