Ordsall Hall’s permanent exhibition space is the Frederic Shields Gallery as it was once the studio of the Pre-Raphaelite artist Frederic Shields. Shields was famed for his drawings of the working poor and took inspiration from some of the scenes around the Hall at the time that he resided there (1872 to 1875). He favoured this space for its plentiful natural light and views of the surrounding area.

In the exhibition you can meet some of the main characters that have lived at the Hall over the centuries. These include the grand John Radclyffe of the 1340s and the ‘fair and witty’ Margaret Radclyffe (former lady-in-waiting to Queen Elizabeth 1), the butcher John Markendale (whose farming family lived at the Hall in the early 1800s) and the industrialist and philanthropist Lord Egerton of Tatton – former Chairman of the nearby Manchester Ship Canal.

Take a virtual tour of the Frederic Shields Gallery to see that there is something for everyone in the exhibition – from computer ghost games, to a menu of exciting films, a play boat (complete with fluffy rats and sheep!) for the under fives, and a range of interactives that encourage exploration and learning for all ages and abilities.