Hatfield Manor House facts for kids
Hatfield Manor House is a special old building in the village of Hatfield, near Doncaster, in South Yorkshire. It's a type of large country home called a manor house. Even though it looks like an 18th-century building, it actually started way back in the 12th century! This means parts of it are over 800 years old.
The house is made from strong stone and brick, with a roof of Welsh slate. It has a unique "T" shape and is two or three stories high in different parts. You can't go inside Hatfield Manor House because it's a private home. But you can see its entrance from Manor Road, marked by two modern gatehouses. You can also spot the old stables, which were built in the early 1700s.
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About Hatfield Manor House
Hatfield Manor House is officially a Grade-I listed building. This means it's considered very important because of its history and special architecture. It's one of the most important historic buildings in England!
What It Looks Like
The outside of the house is made of a mix of rough stone and brick. The roof is covered with Welsh slate, which is a strong, flat type of stone. The house has a "T" shape when you look at it from above. Some parts are two stories tall, and other parts are three stories tall.
Can You Visit?
No, Hatfield Manor House is a private home, so it's not open for people to visit inside. However, you can see some parts of it from the road. The entrance has two modern gatehouses. You can also see the old stables, which were built a long time ago in the early 1700s.
A Long History
The land where Hatfield Manor House stands has a very long and interesting past. People believe it might have been the site of a palace belonging to an ancient king!
King Edwin's Connection
It's thought that this area was once home to a palace of Edwin of Northumbria. He was a king who lived a very long time ago. Some stories say he might have died nearby at the Battle of Hatfield Chase, though no one is completely sure exactly where that battle happened.
From Kings to Families
Around the year 1070, the Hatfield area was given to a powerful family called the Warennes. They likely built the first version of the house before 1317. Later, in 1347, the Warenne family no longer had male heirs, so the house went back to the King. For almost 300 years after that, it was used as a hunting lodge. This means kings and queens would stay there when they went hunting in the area.
A famous person born in the house was William de Hatfield. He was the second son of King Edward III. Sadly, he passed away when he was just a baby.
New Owners and Changes
In 1628, King Charles I gave the estate to Sir Cornelius Vermuyden. Sir Cornelius was famous for draining the wet lands around Hatfield, making them useful for farming. He sold the house in 1630 to Sir Arthur Ingram. The Ingram family owned Hatfield Manor House for many generations.
The last person in that family line, the 9th Viscount Irvine, passed away in 1778 without any children to inherit. He left the estate to Lady Beauchamp, who later became the Marchioness of Hertford. From her, it then went to Lady William Gordon.
The house itself has changed a lot over the centuries. It was made bigger in the 1500s and 1600s. Then, in the 1700s, it was completely updated and remodeled to look more like it does today.
