Details
GRASSINGTON WOOD LANE
SE 0064-0164
(east side, off)
8/37 Grassington Hall
10.9.54
II*
House. Late C13 -early C14 remains, C17 rebuilds, mid -late C19 and c1980
restorations. Earliest work probably for Robert de Plumpton, the C17 work
for George Lister and the Topham family. Coursed squared gritstone and
rubble, graduated stone slate roof. Quoins. An irregular plan of 2 storeys
with attic, 3 by 2 bays comprising the medieval north-east range with C17
additions to the south west. The principal facade faces south east: bays 1
and 3 project slightly, bay 1 is a 2-storey porch, the chamfered pointed 2-
stone arch has quoined jambs and an inserted 2-light chamfered mullion
window above; the pitched roof has C19 bulbous kneelers and gable copings
with ball finial to left. Bay 2: a tall 5-light recessed hollow-chamfered
mullion window with hoodmould to ground floor; on the first floor two 2-
light cross windows with plate tracery heads pierced by a quatrefoil: C19
niche to gable. Bay 3: a 4-light recessed hollow-chamfered mullion window
to ground floor, narrow chamfered window to right: a similar 4-light window
to first floor and a smaller 3-light window to the gable. C19 bulbous
kneelers, gable copings and ball finials: tall ashlar stack between bays 2
and 3. The stonework of this facade is significant: the squared gritstone
to ground floor, bay 2, is replaced by rubble walling at first floor sill
level, and to bay 3 the main walling is of rubble, with a section of
squared stone between the ground and first-floor windows. North-west
facade: the 2 gabled central bays are of importance; that to left is the
end of the medieval block and has an inserted 3-light window to ground
floor and a medieval paired lancet window with single stone chamfered head
to the first floor; the gable rebuilt above first-floor window lintel
level. The narrower right-hand staircase bay has a restored 2-light
recessed mullion window. This bay overlies the more massive gable end of
the south-west range. Lower C20 extensions to left and right not of
special interest. South-west facade: doorway and refenestration of 1870 in
Tudor Style; the right-hand projecting porch bay has a first floor
corbelled chimney to left return with ashlar stack. North-east facade: C17
projecting stair block and chimney stack, left, overlie a medieval
buttress; 2 restored mullioned windows below eaves, right; C20 added porch
and single storey projecting bay, not of special interest. Interior:
north-east range, ground floor: chamfered pointed arch with masons' marks
to original medieval block opposite present entrance door on south-west. A
large C17 fireplace with incised voussoirs to the lintel was reduced in
width in C18, served by the external stack on the north-east wall,and has
an oven in wall thickness to left and a cupboard recess under stairs to
right. The stone staircase of newel-type gives access to the partitioned
first-floor room which has a restored fireplace served by the external
stack, and the lancet window at the north-west gable end. Interior of
south-west range: the C19 entrance opens into a passage leading to the
medieval doorway; on the right a large sitting room lit by the 5-light
south-east window; the staircase to left of the entrance passage is C19
with medieval-style stone arch, all probably replacing a C17 original.
History: by 1190 Nigel de Plumpton held the Manor of Grassington from the
Percy family; his decendant, Robert was granted a market and fair at
Grassington in 1282; he was building a chapel at another of his manors
(Nesfield) in c1280 and was probably responsible for the first-floor hall
block here. The entrance arch to the undercroft survives, together with
the probable position of the doorway to the first floor, now reached by the
main staircase, and a buttress. The first floor was lit by the paired
lancet window in the north-west gable; the windows on the other walls
destroyed or removed to the south-east wall of the C17 extension. In 1604
the then Lord of the Manor, George Clifford, 3rd Earl of Cumberland offered
all the tenants in Grassington the opportunity to buy the freehold on their
property and George Lister, tenant of the Hall, did so. From this date the
hall was extended south-westwards and a gabled C17 facade created on the
south-east, looking towards the village. A large kitchen fireplace and
stone service stair were built in the undercroft of the hall. George
Lister was a patron of the living of Kettlewell church and died c1632; he
sold the hall to Thomas Topham, the priest of Linton Church, who died in
1651. The house remained in the Topham family for most of the C17. The
building possibly went through a period of decline during the C18 and C19
but c1870 it was drastically refurbished by the Duke of Devonshire's
estate, to be a house and offices for his lead agent. The building was
entirely reroofed and new staircase installed, on the site of the main C17
stair. The first-floor rooms were partitioned during the C18 and C19.
After another period of decline the present owners restored the house in
1980. S.Brooks, History of Grassington, 1979. T. Whitaker, History of
Craven, 1805, p557.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
324791
Legacy System:
LBS
Sources
Books and journals
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
End of official list entry
