The house and garden are open to the public at advertised times, and are administered by the charitable Hoghton Tower Preservation Trust.

[4][5] King James I visited Hoghton between 15 and 18 August 1617, accompanied by a substantial retinue, and was joined by many of the leading local families.

[7] On 16 August, he visited the alum mines belonging to Sir Richard Hoghton and while out hunting, shot at a stag and missed.

[8] At the time of the king's visit, a local dispute was ongoing in Lancashire between the Puritans and the gentry, many of whom were Roman Catholics, as to what activities should be permissible on Sundays and other holy days.

[10] After further representations, James asked Bishop Morton to draft a response, which established a local convention, a forerunner of the Declaration of Sports.

In February 1643, after the taking of Preston by Sir John Seaton, Hoghton Tower was besieged by Parliamentary troops under Captain Nicholas Starkie of Huntroyd.

When the Roundheads entered the house, the powder magazine in the old pele tower, between the two courtyards, exploded, killing over 100 Parliamentary men.

[21] He was succeeded by the fifth baronet, Sir Henry, who in 1735 commissioned a topographical view of the house, "Hoghton Tower from Duxon Hill", from Arthur Devis.

[24] Sir Henry de Hoghton, the 9th Baronet, inherited the estate in 1862 and decided to restore the house.

Charles Dickens visited in 1867 and, although the house was dilapidated, he was inspired to write his 1868 short story George Silverman's Explanation, in which the Hoghton features prominently.

Sir Henry died the same year, and restoration work was continued by his brother, Charles, the 10th Baronet, although the house was not ready for him to take up residence until 1880.

By that time Paley and Austin had restored the gateway tower and the adjacent walls (1877), designed an entrance lodge (1878), carried out work on the offices in the east wing, built a new kitchen, a new underground service corridor, and made other alterations (1879–80).

A view of the restored gateway by local artist James 'Clock' Shaw (1836–1915) was painted at this time and is in Bury Art Museum.

In the northeast corner of the courtyard is a 17th-century well house, which stands on the traditional site of the original tower that was destroyed in the Civil War.

[29] Between these gates and the entrance to the outer courtyard is a grassed area known as the Tilting Ground, which is enclosed by a wall on the south side and the Great Barn to the north.

It raises income by "charging an admission fee to visitors, running events, providing holiday accommodation and being rented out as a venue for weddings, filming, corporate entertainment and private functions".