Samlesbury Hall, Lancashire , England
by Ray Irving
Samlesbury Hall is an historic house in Samlesbury, Preston, Lancashire, England was built in 1325.
Samlesbury is named after the Roman Goddess Belisama. The Romans occupied the Ribble Valley and estuary from about 80 AD, they had large Forts at Wigan, Ribchester and Lancaster. The river Ribble was a source of power and the Romans built a working fort at the junction of the Rivers Darwen and River Ribble at Walton le Dale. This fort was named Belisama.
The Romans also named the Ribble, Belisama. Belisama is the Goddess of water, fire and the forge, very apt for a fort with metal working. When the Romans left Britain, the district of Belisama became Samlesbury.
The original Hall was built with its solar end windows facing east as was the practice. When the chapel building was built 140 years later it was also facing east, a new East! When the Chapel was connected to the main hall a further 60 years later the angle of connection was less than 90 degrees because of the solstice change of the suns position over the period of time.
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