It is one of Manchester's oldest buildings, but it was almost lost forever.
In the early hours of March 15, 2016, an arsonist high on drink and drugs torched the Grade II listed Wythenshawe Hall before leaving it to burn. As flames ripped through the building, helpless volunteers and residents could only watch on in horror.
It took more than 50 firefighters two days to eventually bring the blaze under control. Although they managed to save the building from complete destruction, it sustained an estimated £5.2 million worth of damage to its entrance hall, roof, the first and second floors.
The bell tower at the timber-framed Tudor mansion was even destroyed in the fire.
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Six years on, Wythenshawe Hall is about to reopen to the public today after being restored to its former glory. Thought to be one of the city's oldest buildings, the historic gem has undergone significant repairs including a major project in 2019 which saw its smoke-damaged interiors and ornate ceilings restored.
As part of the £6.7 million renovation, the building’s timeless stained-glass windows have also been replaced with mimicked designs closely representing the original works.
Dating back to 1540, Wythenshawe Hall was built by Robert Tatton of Chester and was the home of the Tatton family for more than 600 years. Its history includes being besieged by Oliver Cromwell's parliamentary forces during the Civil War.
Situated within the 270 acre Wythenshawe Park, the hall was gifted to the city of Manchester in 1926 by a philanthropist 'to be used solely for the public good'. It was used as a museum and art gallery prior to the devastating fire.
A ceremony to mark the hall's reopening will be held at 11am today. The building will then remain open to the public from 12pm-5pm on both Saturday and Sunday.
Coun Lee-Ann Igbon, Manchester council's executive member for vibrant neighbourhoods, said: "Wythenshawe Hall is a magnificent building which is not only to close the hearts of many people in Wythenshawe, but sheds light on the fascinating history of our city.
"After the Hall was forced to close due to an arson attack in 2016, Manchester City Council has carried out over £6.7m of extensive refurbishment works to repair the damage and have enhanced security upgrades to the Hall, to protect it from further damage and to allow the public to enjoy the building once again.
"I know a lot of people will be happy to see the Hall's doors open once again. It is a great honour to be attending the event and to be a part of such an important part of history."
The arson attack was carried out by Jeremy Taylor, who was later jailed for four-and-a-half years. A court heard he stuffed newspapers around drainpipes and doors of the building, before lighting them and setting off for his home nearby.
He left it to burn into the early hours of the morning, with the flames spreading through the entrance hall and upwards onto the first and second floors and out through the roof. After the flames were finally put out, fire and police investigators found three matches at the crime scene - and DNA on one of them matched Taylor.
He suffered a “storm of abuse” from locals after his arrest, the court heard.
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