Andiea
Active member
A mile from my home this little gem, used as a care home for dementia, planning had been put in to turn it into flats, work started and then stopped as the planning was refused due to too much traffic down a small lane. Now for the history.
An ancient farm House, sometimes called the Old Hall, was a seat of the Fitzwilliam family in the 15th and 16th centuries; and tradition says a French ship landed a body of armed men, who carried off the heir of this family, and exacted such a large ransom that they were obliged to sell their estates in this neighbourhood. At a short distance from this house are traces of a moated area, on which the mansion of some other wealthy family is supposed to have stood. (White 1872)
During trial trenching at the care home in July 2012, Trench 1 revealed a dumped layer which was probably deposited in the medieval period. It may have been dumped during the excavation of the moat to create an island for the high status buildings. 15th century pottery and animal bone was also recorded.
Thomas Fitzwilliam obtained a licence to crenellate in 1459. Despite White's statement Gatehouse considers it unlikely that two separate wealthy families would have houses so close together in the C15 in this rural area and it seems more likely his 'Old Hall' and the moated area represent different phases of FitzWilliam occupation with the moated site probably being the site of the C15 licensed house. If White's story of pirate abduction is correct, and it could well be so, it should be noted that there were genuine threats to personal security in this area but neither a licence to crenellate nor a moat offered any absolute protection.
The Hall
DSCN1215 by Anna Anderson, on Flickr
One of the sitting rooms
DSCN1216 by Anna Anderson, on Flickr
One of the bedrooms
DSCN1225 by Anna Anderson, on Flickr
DSCN1228 by Anna Anderson, on Flickr
Nice grubby handrail
DSCN1229 by Anna Anderson, on Flickr
Another sitting room
DSCN1235 by Anna Anderson, on Flickr
Bedtime freshly washed bedding
DSCN1251 by Anna Anderson, on Flickr
DSCN1289 by Anna Anderson, on Flickr
DSCN1293 by Anna Anderson, on Flickr
Somebodys personal belongs
DSCN1303 by Anna Anderson, on Flickr
DSCN1342 by Anna Anderson, on Flickr
Thanks for looking
An ancient farm House, sometimes called the Old Hall, was a seat of the Fitzwilliam family in the 15th and 16th centuries; and tradition says a French ship landed a body of armed men, who carried off the heir of this family, and exacted such a large ransom that they were obliged to sell their estates in this neighbourhood. At a short distance from this house are traces of a moated area, on which the mansion of some other wealthy family is supposed to have stood. (White 1872)
During trial trenching at the care home in July 2012, Trench 1 revealed a dumped layer which was probably deposited in the medieval period. It may have been dumped during the excavation of the moat to create an island for the high status buildings. 15th century pottery and animal bone was also recorded.
Thomas Fitzwilliam obtained a licence to crenellate in 1459. Despite White's statement Gatehouse considers it unlikely that two separate wealthy families would have houses so close together in the C15 in this rural area and it seems more likely his 'Old Hall' and the moated area represent different phases of FitzWilliam occupation with the moated site probably being the site of the C15 licensed house. If White's story of pirate abduction is correct, and it could well be so, it should be noted that there were genuine threats to personal security in this area but neither a licence to crenellate nor a moat offered any absolute protection.
The Hall
DSCN1215 by Anna Anderson, on Flickr
One of the sitting rooms
DSCN1216 by Anna Anderson, on Flickr
One of the bedrooms
DSCN1225 by Anna Anderson, on Flickr
DSCN1228 by Anna Anderson, on Flickr
Nice grubby handrail
DSCN1229 by Anna Anderson, on Flickr
Another sitting room
DSCN1235 by Anna Anderson, on Flickr
Bedtime freshly washed bedding
DSCN1251 by Anna Anderson, on Flickr
DSCN1289 by Anna Anderson, on Flickr
DSCN1293 by Anna Anderson, on Flickr
Somebodys personal belongs
DSCN1303 by Anna Anderson, on Flickr
DSCN1342 by Anna Anderson, on Flickr
Thanks for looking