Set in delightful grounds and a superb house this is well worth a visit even without the added filip of the display of costumes covering over 300 years. The centrepiece of the park is a large pleasure lake, which is used for boating and fishing. The lake has an island sanctuary in the middle, as well as a lakeside visitors' centre and a boathouse. The park also contains part of Gore Brook and part of the Nico (Mickle) Ditch. There are gardens of different kinds, including community orchard gardens, which contain ferns, roses and heathers. There is also an educational garden and an environmental area, as well as Elizabeth II Jubilee gardens and an Eco Arts garden near to the boating lake. There is a Shakespearean garden located in the Ashfield part of the park in the south east corner that was designed to have only plants mentioned in Shakespeare's works. Platt Hall was the home of the Worsley family for 300 years. The current hall, a listed Georgian building, was built by John and Deborah Carill-Worsley to the designs of Carr of York, later moderated by Timothy Lightoler, in 1746 at a cost of £10,000. It replaced a timbered black and white building that had been the home of Charles Worsley, one of Cromwell's lieutenants and Major General for Lancashire, Cheshire and Derbyshire during the interregnum.
Platt Hall contains The Gallery of Costume. The collection spans the era from the 17th century to the present day, covers both men, women and children, and includes both high fashion and the dress of working people. The collection is still growing, and includes present-day designer wear, sports and leisure clothes and underwear. The collection consists of over 20,000 items, and is divided up into a series of themes, which consist of "Designers", "Dressing Up, Dressing Down", "Clothes for Work", "Recycled Fashion", "Sexuality", "Materials and Making", "Close Up", "Sports and Leisure" and "Underwear". There care 20,000+ items on display. They are currently undertaking a renovation of one part of the ground floor of Platt Hall to eradicate moth activity (a big danger with these displays), and as a result the 20th Century displays are temporarily closed to visitors. The current temporary exhibition, Schiaparelli and Thirties Fashion, will remain open throughout the refurbishment. It is wheelchair accessible.
Location : Platt Hall, Rusholme, Manchester M14 5LL.
Transport: Manchester Oxford Road (National Rail) then bus down Oxford Road. Bus routes 41, 42, 42A and 43 stop nearby.
Opening Times: Thursday + Friday 13:00 to 17:00 Saturday + Sunday 10:00 to 17:00
Tickets: Free
Tel: 0161 245 7245
