Arms and armour

There are over 300 objects from a variety of sources including edge weapons and guns. The edge weapons include around 50 swords and 50 scabbards, over 100 knives (including bayonets and daggers) plus a small number of axes and spears. There are around 60 guns, most of which are no longer capable of firing. The collection consists entirely of gifts, the earliest being given in 1906 and the latest in 1984. Around a quarter were originally in the East Lancashire Regiment's collection. The collection is recorded in the Modes database with a Object Identity template name of amuse_AA.

A part of a Life Guard's uniform from the 1870s consisting of breast plate, back plate, shoulder straps, helmet with plume and pouch, belonged to Richard Henry Towneley (1849-1877).

Included in the arms are 16 truncheons including one used by Special Constable George H. Dewhurst whose beat was round Towneley Park during World War I.

The 1938 catalogue [md7a] records the collection as War Exhibits with a number objects having come from government's War Trophies Committee via the Ordnance Department in February 1919. These included a German Howitzer gun and gun carriage placed outside in the forecourt. In 1920, an offer of further war trophies from the War Trophies Committee was declined but the object already accepted were displayed in the War Trophies room. In September it was reported in local newspapers that the German guns on display outside the Hall excited strong resentment from some members of the Trades Council. The war trophies room only lasted until 1924 and the guns outside were sent for scrap in 1930. Only 4 objects from the Ordnance Department remained when the Arms and Armour collection was re-organised in the 1970s.