Moulton Hall facts for kids
Moulton Hall is a beautiful old house, called a manor house, located in a village named Moulton in England. It's near the town of Richmond, North Yorkshire. This special house was built a very long time ago, in the 1600s, and is considered a "Grade I listed" building. This means it's one of the most important historic buildings in the country!
The house is shaped like a rectangle and has three main floors, plus a basement (cellar) and rooms in the roof (attics). It's built from strong stone, some of it carefully cut (called ashlar) and some rougher (rubble). The roof is made of special Westmorland slate tiles. The front of the house has five sections, and above them are three unique curved shapes called gables. The sides of the house have two sections each. Around the house are about 25 acres of land, which is like having 25 football fields!
Contents
A Journey Through Time: Who Lived at Moulton Hall?
The Smithson Family: The First Owners
Moulton Hall was rebuilt around the year 1650. It was built for a man named Leonard Smithson. After Leonard, his son Christopher Smithson took over the house in 1650. Christopher's son, George Smithson, became an important person. He was a Member of Parliament (MP) for the North Riding in 1654. An MP is someone who helps make laws for the country. George was also briefly an MP for Northallerton in 1659. When George died in 1692, his wife sold the estate.
New Owners: The Milbanke and Dalbiac Families
The house was bought by Sir Mark Milbanke of Halnaby. His family owned it for many years. Later, Sir Ralph Milbanke, who was the 6th Baronet in his family, sold the house in 1815. He sold it to Colonel Sir James Charles Dalbiac. Sir Ralph needed money for his only daughter, Anne Isabella Milbanke, when she married the famous poet Lord Byron. This money given to the bride's family is called a dowry.
Sir Charles Dalbiac then sold the house in 1836. He also sold it to provide a dowry for his only daughter, Susanna. She married James Innes-Ker, 6th Duke of Roxburghe that same year.
The Sanderson Family's Long Stay
After that, the Sanderson family lived in Moulton Hall for the rest of the 1800s. Many members of this family lived there, including Michael Sanderson, Matthew Sanderson, John Sanderson, Dennison Sanderson, Henry Matthew Sanderson, and Henry Middleton Sanderson. They were part of the house's story for a long time.
Moulton Hall Today: A National Treasure
In 1966, a special organization called the National Trust bought Moulton Hall. The National Trust helps protect historic places and natural beauty in England. They say that the house's "beautiful carved staircase" is its most amazing feature.
Today, Moulton Hall is open to the public sometimes. You can visit by arranging it with the people who live there. The current residents of Moulton Hall are John Eccles, 2nd Viscount Eccles and his wife, the Baroness Eccles of Moulton. They are the tenants, meaning they live in and care for the house.
More to Explore
- Grade I listed buildings in North Yorkshire (district)
- Listed buildings in Moulton, North Yorkshire
