Local History

Rufford's name derives from the Old English ruh and ford- the rough ford.

It was a crossing place over the River Douglas. Rufford was recorded as Ruchford in 1212, Rufford in 1285, Roughford in 1318, Rughford in 1332 and Roghforth in 1411.

Part of the manor was granted by Richard Bussel, baron of Penwortham to Richard Fitton in the reign of Henry I. His descendant Matilda married Sir William Hesketh. Sir William's grandson married the daughter of Edmund Fitton,who owned the other moiety of the manor which then descended with the Heskeths.

In 1339, Sir William Hesketh was granted a charter for a weekly market and annual fair. He fought at the Battle of Crécy in 1346, and was knight of the shire in 1360.

In the late 15th century, the Heskeths built Rufford Hall. It was altered in 1661 and redeveloped in the 1820s. The family built Rufford New Hall in 1760 and enlarged it around 1798-99 when the family left the old hall for the new.

Information from the National Archives states that Rufford belonged, in 1212, to Chester abbey, but somewhat later it was held of the abbot by Richard Fitton, from him descending to his two daughters, one of whom married William of Hesketh.
His son John became sole lord in 1318 and the estate descended regularly to Sir Thomas George Fermor-Hesketh, who was created Baron Hesketh of Hesketh in 1935.
From 1558 until 1800 the Heskeths were lords of a moiety of the manor of Croston.
When Lord Hesketh gave Rufford Old Hall to the National Trust he included a small number of documents, mainly mediaeval. These are in the Lancashire Record Office.

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