Castlefacts³

Wodhall in Metheley

Has been described as a Possible Fortified Manor House

There are uncertain remains

Name	Wodhall in Metheley
Alternative Names	Methley
Historic Country	Yorkshire
Modern Authority	Leeds
1974 Authority	West Yorkshire
Civil Parish	Rothwell

Licence for Robert de Waterton, esquire, Thomas de Toveton, clerk, Nicholas Colne and William Baroweby to crenellate their manor of Wodhall in Metheley, co. York. By K. (CPR)

Gatehouse Comments

Identification of this site is uncertain. Several possibly alternative sites are suggested; Hatfeild Hall is built on the site of a Woodhall owned by Waterson, from his mother's family but this is in Stanley not Methley. It is normal described as Woodhall in Stanley, presumably to differentiate it from the numerous other Woodhalls but possibly to specifically differentiate it from Waterson's other Woodhall in Methley. Methley Hall was Waterson's prime seat but never seems to be called Woodhall.However, there was a manor of Woodhall in Methley. In 1408-9 Robert Walys by Thomas Towton, Master of the Hospital of St Nicholas in Pontefract, released to John Waterton and others all his right in Wodhall in Methley (Darbyshire and Lumb). The relationship between John and Robert Waterson is unclear and Darbyshire seems to confabulate the two men. The manor certainly seems to come to Robert and 'John' may be a mistake. On 7 June 1410 Henry IV granted to Thomas Toueton, master of the hospital of St. Nicholas of Pontefract, licence to grant the manor of Methley, co. York, to Robert Walton (sic) in exchange for the advowsons of the churches of Gosberton, co. Lincoln, and Wath, co. York. (VCH ref. Duchy of Lanc. Misc. Bks. v (2), 52 d).The suggest from this is that some land transfer was going on within the rather complex medieval system and the licence for Wodhall was mainly to confirm the transfer of ownership. It was identified as being 'situated in Mickletown and partly Woodrow, the Manor house in Mickletown was the three gabled property fronting on to Main Street' This was demolished in the 1960s. Nothing about the historic description or photographs of Wodhall in Darbyshire suggests fortifications and this seems to have been a modest manor house

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

Not Listed

County Historic Environment Record

www.archaeology.wyjs.org.uk

OS Map Grid Reference	SE396271
Latitude	53.7394599914551
Longitude	-1.40111994743347
Eastings	439600
Northings	427170