Ridgmont House stands as a significant marker of Horwich’s transformation from a rural township into an important centre of early industrial innovation. Its origins trace back to the late 17th century, when the site then known as ‘The Whitehouse’ became closely tied to the pioneering Wallsuches Chemical Bleach Works.

During the 1700s, Horwich was still a farming community. The arrival of John and Thomas Ridgway marked a turning point after their Bolton works relocated to Wallsuches in 1777.

As the business flourished, the Ridgways invested heavily in the community, funding Horwich’s first school, contributing to the new parish church, and creating affordable housing for workers.

Ridgmont House itself was built by Joseph Ridgway on the site of the former White House, and although the works and house eventually passed out of the family the legacy of the Ridgways industrial leadership and civic philanthropy remains deeply embedded in Horwich’s landscape and history.

In 1977, Ridgmont House—then standing derelict—was purchased from Bolton Council by the Horwich Freemasons for £5,500, prompting an extensive restoration that brought the building back to life. Since then, it has remained a central home for Freemasonry in Horwich and has, in recent years, been sensitively adapted to serve the wider community.

Today, Ridgmont House provides its Georgian architecture and landscaped estate as a distinctive setting for weddings, celebrations, corporate gatherings and life events, all while preserving the historic character that defines it.

Ridgmont House continues to stand as one of Horwich’s most significant Grade II listed buildings, valued both for its heritage and its renewed role in local community life.