A mansion that’s up for sale in Bolton is hiding one of the country’s most impressive back gardens.
The home in Lostock, listed at £1,795,000, is up there with the most expensive currently on the market in the borough.
And it’s easy to see why.
Its villa-like structure has five huge bedrooms and three bathrooms, not to mention four reception rooms, a snooker room and bar, an orangery, and a double garage.
The outside spaces/ Credit: Fine & Country
But the sprawling property’s most impressive feature lies outside, in its manicured gardens.
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The Bolton mansion comes with its own stream – essentially a moat – as well as a waterfall, rockeries, and a fishpond so massive you could almost claim to have your own private lake.
Fine & Country, the estate agency marketing the home, say: “The beautiful villa-like structure stands magnificently within its own super secluded green haven, where a lush woodland canopy and private lakeside setting cannot help but create a real sense of peace and tranquillity – the sort of blissful ambience experienced on luxurious holiday escapes – undisturbed in a world of its own manicured grounds, tucked away from the hustle and bustle of modern life.”
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The incredible grounds of the mansion in Bolton / Credit: Fine & Country
There are neat lawns, fancy topiary, and even a charming stone footbridge and a wooden one crossing the water.
Its interiors are pretty lavish too, dripping in marble, polished wood, and chandeliers.
A massive sweeping staircase greets people on arrival in an entrance hall that leads on to the many, many rooms.
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The interiors of the Bolton mansion / Credit: Fine & Country
While the building was constructed in 2000, it’s since been renovated throughout.
The listing continues: “Where to begin with an extraordinary property like this? It is without a doubt one of Bolton’s most prestigious residences, boasts perhaps one of the most delightful residential settings you could ever find, and is finished to a level where ‘no expense spared’ is an understatement.”
Of the location, Fine & Country say: “This property is nestled within an exclusive hamlet of imposing homes stood proud behind private gates within the leafy green area of Lostock – arguably one of the most prestigious and desirable suburban settings in Bolton.
“Willowbank is sat in its own world of extraordinary grounds, so private that nobody would even know it exists! Despite this wonderfully secluded setting, everything you would ever want or need is on your doorstep.”
Greater Manchester museum crowned the best FREE museum to visit in the UK
Emily Sergeant
A hidden gem museum in Greater Manchester has just been crowned one of the best free attractions in the UK.
With half term upon us and the Easter holidays not far off either, plenty of parents, carers, and guardians across Greater Manchester will likely be looking for a ways to keep the kids entertained and educated while schools are out, and without having to break the bank too – especially the classic rainy Manchester weather shows itself.
But luckily enough, one of Greater Manchester‘s popular museums has taken the top spot in a list of the best free museums and galleries to visit in the whole of the UK.
Not only that, but six other attractions in the region have also featured on the long list.
The list, which has been compiled by GoldCo, features some the UK’s ‘best-kept secrets for unforgettable family adventures’ – with all of the attractions described as being a ‘lifesaver’ during half term, thanks to their immersive learning experiences.
Bolton Museum has been crowned the best free museum to visit in the UK / Credit: Bolton Council
Whether you’re interested in history, science, or art, these top-rated venues promise an engaging experience for all ages, and all without having to pay a penny.
Surprisingly, it’s Bolton Museum – which is found on the Grade II-listed Le Mans Crescent in the town centre, dates back to 1852, and has been a part of the leisure and education of Boltonians for over 120 years – which takes the number one spot on the list, with 93% of visitors giving the attraction a five-star rating and review.
The Council-owned public attraction is also home to an art gallery, library, and aquarium too, as well as the museum.
Some of the popular exhibitions inside the town centre-based facility include the Egyptology, Archaeology & World Cultures section, which is actually one of the largest regional collections in the UK, made up of over 10,000 archaeological objects, and a wide range of Zoology, Geology, and Palaeontology sections.
The museum is in the heart of the town’s centre, along with art the library, art gallery, and aquarium / Credit: Google Maps
There’s also an extensive local history section, with 38,000 objects from the 17th to 20th century relating to Bolton.
In total, Greater Manchester has seven free museums and art galleries that rank in the top 100 list, including Greater Manchester Police Museum & Archives at 13, the People’s History Museum in the 78th spot, and The Manchester Museum taking 89th place.
The North West as a whole is the region with the second most free cultural attractions in the UK, with 28 free places to visit across the wider region.
Featured Image – Bolton Council
Bolton
Toxic Town – new star-studded Netflix drama series filmed in Greater Manchester airs next week
Emily Sergeant
A trailer and first look images for a gripping new Netflix drama series filmed in Greater Manchester have been released.
Viewers are being given a teaser of what to expect before it airs next week.
Produced by Charlie Brooker and Annabelle Jones, and based on one of the UK’s biggest environmental scandals, Toxic Town tells the story of the people at the heart of the 2009 Corby poisonings, that started decades ago in the 1980s, and focuses on a group of mothers who took on a David and Goliath-style battle for justice.
The four-part series written by acclaimed screenwriter, Jack Thorne, traces the years of the mothers’ fight and watches as a terrible truth comes to the surface.
Jodie Whittaker, Aimee Lou Wood and Claudia Jessie star in TOXIC TOWN. Premiering 27 February.
Based on the true story of one of the UK’s biggest environmental scandals, the limited series follows a group of mothers fighting to bring a terrible truth to surface and justice for… pic.twitter.com/HgRoUKBIod
The cast of the new drama is seriously star-studded, with local Northern actors Jodie Whittaker – best known for Doctor Who and Broadchurch – and Stockport-born Aimee Lou Wood – who is best known for the Netflix series Sex Education, as well as the BBC sitcom Daddy Issues, and is currently starring in the third series of HBO’s The White Lotus – taking on the lead roles.
Robert Carlyle, Brendan Coyle, and Rory Kinnear are some of the other famous names playing pivotal roles in the show, alongside Bridgerton’s Claudia Jessie, Game of Thrones’ and Skins’ Joe Dempsey, and This is England’s Michael Socha.
New star-studded drama series Toxic Town airs on Netflix next week/ Credit: Netflix UK & Ireland
Show creator Jack Thorne called it the “cast of dreams”.
“I couldn’t believe that we were able to get these people, and that they were prepared to be part of this story,” he commented. “And boy, did they all deliver.”
“Each of them just brought something new that I’d never seen them do before,” Thorne teased ahead of the show’s air. “And when you’re with a cast that’s doing that consistently, it’s so exciting to watch and it’s so beautiful.”
Despite the story being set in the Northamptonshire town of Corby, the majority of this new series was actually filmed here in Greater Manchester – primarily in Bolton.
Over the last decade or so, Bolton has developed a ‘Hollywood of the North’ nickname as the town’s centre and wider borough’s historic buildings and architecture, and striking rural landscapes, have become a favourite for production crews looking to replicate other well-known worldwide locations such as London, New York, and even Moscow.
Camera crews for popular TV shows such as Peaky Blinders, Happy Valley, It’s A Sin, Brassic, The Stranger, Fool Me Once, and A Gentleman in Moscow have all rolled into the town in recent times.
Daisy Jackson -
22nd July 2022 
