Markenfield Hall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Markenfield Hall |
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|---|---|
| Markingfield Hall | |
Main block of Markenfield Hall,
including chapel and great hall |
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| Type | Moated manor house |
| Location | North Yorkshire |
| Nearest city | Ripon |
| OS grid reference | SE29466739 |
| Original use | Manor house |
| Architectural style(s) | Gothic |
| Owner | Ian and Deirdre Curteis |
| Website | Markenfield Hall |
| Official name: Markenfield Hall moated medieval fortified house with associated service buildings and park pale | |
| Designated | 31 May 1977 |
| Reference no. | 1018774 |
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Listed Building – Grade I
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| Official name: Markenfield Hall | |
| Designated | 23 April 1952 |
| Reference no. | 1293954 |
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Listed Building – Grade II
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| Official name: Farm buildings to the south of Markenfield Hall | |
| Designated | 6 March 1967 |
| Reference no. | 1315641 |
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Markenfield Hall is a very old and special house in North Yorkshire, England. It is a moated manor house, which means it has a deep ditch filled with water around it for protection. This amazing building is over 700 years old, built in the early 1300s. It is located about 3 miles (5 km) south of the city of Ripon.
Contents
About the Hall
Markenfield Hall is shaped like the letter "L". It has strong stone walls and looks a bit like a castle. Inside, there is a large room called the great hall. This hall is built above a basement area called an undercroft. Long ago, people reached the great hall by an outside stone staircase.
The house is protected by its moat, which is like a water barrier. To get across the moat, there is a single bridge. This bridge is guarded by a special gatehouse that was built in the 1500s. The gatehouse has a style called Tudor architecture.
Markenfield Hall is considered a very important historical site. It is a Grade I listed building, which is the highest level of protection for historic buildings in England. It is also a "Scheduled Ancient Monument," meaning it's a nationally important archaeological site.
The Surrounding Area
Around the house, there are several acres of land that were once a deer park. This means the land was used for hunting deer. The hall, the land around it, and the old park fence are all part of the "Scheduled Ancient Monument" listing. This shows how important the entire property is to history.
Visiting Markenfield Hall
For many years, Markenfield Hall has been open to the public for tours during parts of May and June. It is also a popular place for weddings. In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Hall was temporarily closed. However, it reopened later that year with smaller tours to keep everyone safe.
A Look Back in Time
Markenfield Hall has a long and interesting history.
Early Beginnings
The area where Markenfield Hall stands was mentioned in the Domesday Book in 1086. This was a famous survey of England ordered by William the Conqueror. Around 1150, a family called Le Bret owned the land. They built a house there and later took the name "de Markenfield" after the place.
Building the Hall
The Markenfield Hall we see today was built for a man named John de Markenfield. He worked for King Edward II. In 1310, the King gave John permission to build a fortified house, which means he could add strong walls and towers. This was the same year John became a very important government official called the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Changes Over Centuries
The Markenfield family lived in the hall for many years. In 1484, Sir Thomas Markenfield was a sheriff and fought in the Battle of Bosworth. Later, in 1569, another Thomas de Markenfield was involved in a rebellion and had to leave the country. Because of this, the King took Markenfield Hall away from the family. It was then given to Thomas Egerton.
Egerton did not live at Markenfield Hall. For a long time, it was rented out as a farmhouse, but it still kept its old features. In 1761, Fletcher Norton, 1st Baron Grantley bought the house. He fixed the roof of the Great Hall and made sure the building was strong again.
The chapel at Markenfield Hall was used to store grain in the 1880s. However, it has since been fully restored to its original purpose.
Modern Restoration
In 1980, the 7th Baron Grantley, John Richard Brinsley, started a big project to restore the hall. He wanted to turn it back into a family home from a farmhouse. This major restoration was finished in 2008, though smaller projects continued for several more years. The gardens around the Gatehouse and Farmhouse were also restored between 2014 and 2018.
In May 2019, news reports showed updated pictures of the inside of the hall. At that time, Lady Deirdre Curteis lived there. She was the widow of the 7th Lord Grantley. In 2001, Lady Deirdre married Ian Bayley Curteis in the restored chapel. This was the first wedding held there since 1487! Ian Curteis passed away in November 2021.
The Name Markenfield
The name "Markenfield" has a long history. It was first written down in the Domesday Book in 1086 as Merchefeld. The name likely comes from old English words meaning "open field of the boundary people." This is similar to the name of a nearby place called Markington.
Both "Markingfield" and "Markenfield" are very old versions of the name. It is not clear which one came first. Over time, the name "Markenfield" became linked to the family who lived there in the Middle Ages. Even in the 1800s, both spellings were used for the Hall and the area around it.
See also
In Spanish: Markenfield Hall para niños
- Grade I listed buildings in North Yorkshire (district)
- Listed buildings in Markenfield Hall
