Hatfeild Hall, Stanley
Has been described as a Questionable Fortified Manor House
There are no visible remains
| Name | Hatfeild Hall, Stanley |
| Alternative Names | Methley; Wodhall in Metheley; Hatfeild |
| Historic Country | Yorkshire |
| Modern Authority | Leeds |
| 1974 Authority | West Yorkshire |
| Civil Parish | Wakefield |
Hatfeild Hall was built between 1598 and 1608 for Gervase Hatfeild and his wife Grace (formerly Grace Savile of Stanley Hall). There had been a house, then called Woodhall, on the site of Hatfeild Hall long before the Hatfeilds came to Stanley. Woodhall was owned by Robert Fleming in the 14th century, whose estates passed via his daughter, Cicely, the wife of Robert Waterton, to her son, also called Robert, who was Master of the Horse to Henry the Fourth. Woodhall came into Savile hands in the early 16th century when one of the Saviles married Catherine Chaloner, daughter of its then owner, John Chaloner. (Stanley History Online unreferenced)
Grave was the only surviving daughter of Edward Savile of Stanley (also known as Midgley) Hall, which she claimed upon his death in 1590. Shortly afterwards she married Gervase, eldest son of Henry Hatfeild of Wilford, Notts. The newly-weds soon found their claim to Stanley Hall threatened by Grace's great-uncle, George Savile of Haselden Hall, who produced a document which showed that the estate was entailed only the male heirs of the Savile line. The dispute was referred to Sir John Savile of Howley and Gervase Nevile of Chevet, who decided in favour of George Savile. Forced to leave Stanley Hall, Gervase and Grace were left with the unentailed Horsecroft, which seems to have formed part of the estate left to Grace by her father. A medieval manor house, Woodhall, already stood on the Horsecroft, but they found it unsuitable, and in 1598 the old hall was demolished to make way for a new one. Supplied with oak from Sir John Savile's woods at Howley, they built a grand mansion with fourteen rooms on each floor. Work on the newly named Hatfeild Hall was finally completed in 1608
(Stanley History Online ref. 'a pedigree made by John Hatfeild Kaye in the late 19th century')
Not scheduled
This is a Grade 2 listed building protected by law
Historic England Scheduled Monument Number
Historic England Listed Building number(s)
Images Of England
Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
| OS Map Grid Reference | SE341234 |
| Latitude | 53.7066116333008 |
| Longitude | -1.48415005207062 |
| Eastings | 434146 |
| Northings | 423475 |
