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Europe May 4, 2026

COAST-TO-COUNTRY CHAOS: LA Exile Declares WAR on Town Hall!

COAST-TO-COUNTRY CHAOS: LA Exile Declares WAR on Town Hall!

Six centuries of history hang in the balance as a bitter legal battle unfolds over Hopwood Hall, a sprawling manor on the outskirts of Middleton. The building, already ancient when Guy Fawkes sought funds for his infamous plot in 1605, has witnessed centuries of change, from noble families to wartime industry and even fleeting moments of rock and roll glory.

Hopwood DePree, 56, is pictured outside the derelict hall in 2017 as he began efforts to restore it. // A Hollywood filmmaker has vowed to take on a council in a High Court battle over his family's crumbling ancestral estate dubbed 'Downton Shabby'. Hopwood DePree, 56, says he was left stunned after being locked out of the 600-year-old mansion in Middleton, Gtr Manchester, despite putting in years of work restoring the property. A two-day trial has now been set for September 29 and 30, where judges will decide the future of the Grade II-listed Hopwood Hall - and whether Mr DePree met the terms of an agreement with Rochdale Borough Council. Speaking about the upcoming hearing, he said: "I'm looking forward to this coming out in public. Photo released 04/05/2026 Clearing years of decay, Hopwood is pictured helping clean up the hall's parlour as part of the project. // A Hollywood filmmaker has vowed to take on a council in a High Court battle over his family's crumbling ancestral estate dubbed 'Downton Shabby'. Hopwood DePree, 56, says he was left stunned after being locked out of the 600-year-old mansion in Middleton, Gtr Manchester, despite putting in years of work restoring the property. A two-day trial has now been set for September 29 and 30, where judges will decide the future of the Grade II-listed Hopwood Hall - and whether Mr DePree met the terms of an agreement with Rochdale Borough Council. Speaking about the upcoming hearing, he said: "I'm looking forward to this coming out in public. Photo released 04/05/2026 Hopwood is seen with a wheelbarrow during early restoration work in September 2017. // A Hollywood filmmaker has vowed to take on a council in a High Court battle over his family's crumbling ancestral estate dubbed 'Downton Shabby'. Hopwood DePree, 56, says he was left stunned after being locked out of the 600-year-old mansion in Middleton, Gtr Manchester, despite putting in years of work restoring the property. A two-day trial has now been set for September 29 and 30, where judges will decide the future of the Grade II-listed Hopwood Hall - and whether Mr DePree met the terms of an agreement with Rochdale Borough Council. Speaking about the upcoming hearing, he said: "I'm looking forward to this coming out in public. Photo released 04/05/2026

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