Markenfield Hall

Details

NORTH YORKSHIRE HARROGATE 5338

SE 26 NE MARKINGFIELD HALL HELL WATH LANE (west end)

5/56 Markenfield Hall 23.4.52

GV I

Fortified manor house, with offices and outbuildings. 1310-1323 for John de Markenfield, with late C16 additions and alterations for Sir Thomas Egerton. Further alterations c1780 for Sir Fletcher Norton. first Baron Grantley of Markenfield, and C1850 by J R Walbran for the fourth Lord Grantley. Restoration 1981-4 by J S Miller for seventh Lord Grantley. Ashlar and coursed limestone rubble with ashlar dressings. Stone slate roofs. Quoins. The buildings are ranged round a rectangular courtyard and enclosed by a moat. There are 4 ranges: 1) south range, with 2-storey gatehouse, bridge over moat and flanking walls; 2) low 2-storey west range of outbuildings, probably stables and barns, now stores; 3) 2-storey east range of accommodation and offices and probably the original entrance to the courtyard; and 4) the principal north range composed of the 3-storey L-shaped block at north-east corner of the courtyard, with a 2-storey service block attached to the west end of the north wing. South range - C16 gatehouse: 2 bays. Central 4-centred carriage arch flanked by single-light chamfered windows. First floor - two 2-light chamfered mullion windows. Kneelers with pyramidal finials; raised verges with coping and ball finial. Left and right returns: blocked doorway; 2-light chamfered mullion window with hoodmould, first floor. Bridge: a single arch with band at road level and low gabled parapet. Flanking walls linking gatehouse to east and west ranges: approximately 3.5 metres high with gabled coping of 3 courses of stone. Narrow slit openings, gateway with board door to left in each wall. West range, courtyard side: approximately 9 bays, at southern end. Central barn door flanked by round- arched doorways; double garage doors near left end. Irregular fenestration of chamfered rectangular lights. Rear, overlooking moat: windows as front; remains of corbelled external first-floor chimney at south end (right). East range, courtyard side: approximately 5 bays. Central blocked archway with C20 glazed door and window flanked by fine moulded C15 arched doorways. Single-light chamfered windows throughout. 3 evenly-spaced ridge stacks. Rear, overlooking moat: projecting bay to right has C20 glazed door in Gothic arch. Irregular fenestration of 1-, 2- and 3-light mullioned windows, corbelled stack first-floor left. Main L-shaped range, north wing, courtyard side. The important medieval features of this facade are: the narrow pointed chamfered arch giving access to the service rooms, and at first-floor above it the scar of the gabled roof covering the external staircase which originally lead to a first-floor doorway immediately above; the enlarged corner buttress to left of the ground-floor door enclosing a privy; to right of the blocked first-floor door two 2-light hall windows with trefoil-headed lights and quatrefoils. East wing, courtyard side, has a fine staircase tower with blocked ground-floor door and narrow lights. Bay to right added early C16 with pointed-arch doorway and, in south wall, a 2-light recessed mullion window with moulded reveals to each floor. A moulded first-floor string course to east wing, and north and east wings have string and embattled parapet. North wing, rear (from moat): 3 bays, central pointed-arch entrance with double doors; projecting 2-storey pent- roofed guarderobe bay to left; 4 buttresses to right; central external stack flanked by first-floor hall windows as courtyard side. East wing, rear (from moat): board door in round arch to left; chapel window of 3 trefoil- headed lights with quatrefoils above in the centre, first floor. Pairs of 2-light C16 windows to right on each floor. 5 buttresses along this face of the building, and 2 ornate medieval chimney stacks (restored) behind battlements to right. The lower, 2-storey service block at the west end of the north wing has C20 doorway; one 2-light mullioned window to left and 2 to upper floor; a row of carved heads and shields below eaves level; and an external stack to left with elaborate crenellated top. It was the great kitchen built early C15. Interior: recent restoration has shown that the whole of the ground floor of the main building was vaulted. The chapel retains its piscina with shield bearing the Markenfield Arms. Solar and south chamber have medieval fireplaces. The wide fireplace below the great hall was inserted in the C18 when the cross-beams were positioned on the pavements of the wall-walks of the battlements. The restoration work of 1981-84 (Miller 1985) revealed much new information about the medieval structure. 'Markenfield Hall, Yorkshire', Country Life, Feb 10, 1912, pp 206-212 'Markenfield Hall, Yorkshire', Country Life,Dec 28, 1940, pp 566- 701. J S Miller, 'Restoration work at Markenfield Hall, 1981-84', Yorkshire Archaeological Journal, 57, 1985, pp 101-110. N Pevsner, Yorkshire West Riding, 1967, p 359, M Wood, The English Medieval House', 1965, p 180 etc.

Listing NGR: SE2946167397

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

330977

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Wood, E, The English Medieval House, (1965), 180
Pevsner, N, Radcliffe, E, The Buildings of England: Yorkshire: The West Riding, (1967), 359
Yorkshire Archaeological Journal in Yorkshire Archaeological Journal, Vol. 57, (1985), 101-110
Country Life in 10 February, (1912), 206-212
Country Life in 28 December, (1940), 566-701

End of official list entry

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