Moulton Hall facts for kids
Moulton Hall is a beautiful old country house in Moulton, England. It's near the town of Richmond, North Yorkshire. This amazing building was built in the 1600s and is considered a very important historical site. It's even listed as a Grade I building, which means it's of exceptional interest!
The hall looks like a big rectangle and has three main floors, plus a basement and attic rooms. It's made from strong stone and has roofs covered with special Westmorland slate. The front of the house has five sections with three cool, curved gables at the top. The sides of the house have two sections each. Around the house, there are about 25 acres of grounds, which is a lot of space to explore!
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History of Moulton Hall
Moulton Hall was rebuilt around 1650 on a spot where an even older building once stood. A man named Leonard Smithson had it built. After him, his son Christopher Smithson took over.
Important Owners and Sales
Christopher's son, George Smithson, was a very important person. He was a Member of Parliament (MP) for the North Riding area in 1654. An MP is someone elected to represent their local area in the country's government. George also briefly served as an MP for Northallerton in 1659. When George died in 1692, his wife sold the estate to Sir Mark Milbanke.
Later, one of Sir Mark's relatives, Sir Ralph Milbanke, sold Moulton Hall in 1815. He sold it to Colonel Sir James Charles Dalbiac. This sale helped pay for the wedding of Sir Ralph's daughter, Anne Isabella Milbanke, who married the famous poet Lord Byron.
Sir Charles Dalbiac then sold the hall in 1836 to the Sanderson family. This sale also helped pay for a wedding! It was for Sir Charles's daughter, Susanna, who married James Innes-Ker, 6th Duke of Roxburghe that same year.
The Sanderson Family Era
Members of the Sanderson family lived in Moulton Hall for the rest of the 1800s. Many different people from the family owned or lived in the house during this time. These included Michael Sanderson, Matthew Sanderson, John Sanderson, Dennison Sanderson, Henry Matthew Sanderson, and Henry Middleton Sanderson.
Moulton Hall Today
In 1966, a special organization called the National Trust took over Moulton Hall. The National Trust helps protect important historic places and beautiful natural spots in England. They think the hall's "beautiful carved staircase" is its most amazing feature.
The National Trust allows people to visit Moulton Hall, but you usually need to arrange it beforehand with the people who live there.
Current Residents
Today, Moulton Hall is home to John Eccles, 2nd Viscount Eccles and his wife, the Baroness Eccles of Moulton. They are the current tenants of this historic house.
