A year of celebration is in store as Astley Hall marks its 100-year anniversary of being open as a museum.

Astley Hall first opened its doors to the public in 1924, two years after the historic building had been given to the people of Chorley by Reginald Arthur Tatton as a memorial to the men who died in World War One.

To mark the occasion, a special ‘Astley Memories’ project has been launched to collect important local stories and experiences about the hall, with members of the public encouraged to get involved.

Whether you had a wedding at the hall, went on a school trip, volunteered, or have visited for years, the team at Astley Hall want to hear from you. The conversations collected as part of this project will be added to the Astley archive so they can be used to tell the story of the hall for years to come.

Stories will be collected in different ways, primarily through recorded interviews but you can also get involved by sharing photographs, written accounts, or artwork. These memories will then be used to tell the story of the past 100 years of Astley via installations throughout the Hall and will be part of a special Coach House Gallery exhibition in the Autumn.

To take part you can email astley.hall@chorley.gov.uk, head into the Astley Museum shop or the Coach House Gallery to request an Expression of Interest form and get more information about the project.

Cllr Peter Wilson said of the anniversary year: “It’s wonderful to celebrate 100 years of Astley Hall being open to the public as a museum, a lot has changed over the years.

“The ‘Astley Memories’ project provides a chance to become part of history, looking back through the years since the hall was signed over to the council for the people of Chorley.

“This project is, as well, a great way to add to the history archives, a wonderful opportunity to engage with our visitors and I am looking forward to hearing the stories that are shared with us.”

A variety of special anniversary events will also take place at Astley throughout 2024, so watch this space for more information coming soon.