Hellifield Peel

Has been described as a Certain Pele Tower, and also as a Certain Tower House

There are major building remains

NameHellifield Peel
Alternative NamesHelefeld; Helgefelt
Historic CountryYorkshire
Modern AuthorityNorth Yorkshire
1974 AuthorityNorth Yorkshire
Civil ParishHellifield

Hellifield Peel, erected c.1440, was crenellated and moated. It had been partly demolished in 1959 (Pevsner).

The remains of Hellifield Peel, situated at SD85945557, are now roofless and in an advanced state of decay. The central range shows some evidence of 15th c. work, though the building as a whole, is mainly modern. There are no indications of a moat (Speight).

Ruins of a fortified house built in the 14th century, possibly as an aisled hall, and altered in the 15th century. Further alterations were carried out in the 17th and late 18/early 19th centuries and the building was partly demolished in 1959. Three storeyed and built of stone rubble. No visible trace of the moat survives. Listed Grade II (Listed Building Report).

By 2007 the peel had been restored as part of a Channel 4 television programme "Grand Designs". The building is used as a bed and breakfast. The website of the business includes a popular history of the building and numerous images. (PastScape)

Gatehouse Comments

Restored in 2005 as dwelling house although, unfortunately, the oldest part of the building, a remnant of the original pele tower, collapsed during this restoration. Prior to the restoration the building was on the 'at risk' register and collapse was imminent anyway, the intent had been to preserve this wall and the collapse was accidental. Originally this was a chamber block (solar tower) attached to a hall, built by Sir John Harcourt. It was reconstructed by Laurence Hamerton as a self contained tower house. Although the Hamerton's were also gentry they clearly were at the top end of the gentry and had pretensions to the nobility as shown by the grand rebuild and the deer park surrounding the house. Was open as a high end B&B until July 2016 but now, seemingly, purely a family home. The Peel was put up for sale in Spring 2016 but is no longer on the market

- Philip Davis

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law

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 ReferenceSD858556
Latitude53.9959602355957
Longitude-2.21582007408142
Eastings385880
Northings455610
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink
Photo by Philip Davis. All Rights Reserved

() above

Latitude 53° 59' 45.36" Longitude -2° 12' 56.88"

View full Sized Image
Photo by Philip Davis. All Rights Reserved

() above

Latitude 53° 59' 45.36" Longitude -2° 12' 56.88"

View full Sized Image
Photo by Philip Davis. All Rights Reserved

() above

Latitude 53° 59' 45.36" Longitude -2° 12' 56.88"

View full Sized Image
Photo by Philip Davis. All Rights Reserved

() above

Latitude 53° 59' 45.36" Longitude -2° 12' 56.88"

View full Sized Image
Photo by Philip Davis. All Rights Reserved

() above

Latitude 53° 59' 45.36" Longitude -2° 12' 56.88"

View full Sized Image
Photo by Philip Davis. All Rights Reserved

() above

Latitude 53° 59' 45.36" Longitude -2° 12' 56.88"

View full Sized Image
Photo by Philip Davis. All Rights Reserved

() above

Latitude 53° 59' 45.36" Longitude -2° 12' 56.88"

View full Sized Image

Most of the sites or buildings recorded in this web site are NOT open to the public and permission to visit a site must always be sought from the landowner or tenant.

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Books

  • Turner, Maurice, 2004, Yorkshire Castles: Exploring Historic Yorkshire (Otley: Westbury Publishing) p. 158, 194, 204, 239
  • Salter, Mike, 2001, The Castles and Tower Houses of Yorkshire (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 43
  • Emery, Anthony, 1996, Greater Medieval Houses of England and Wales Vol. 1 Northern England (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press) p. 346
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 2 p. 518
  • Ryder, P.F., 1982 (paperback edn 1992), The Medieval Buildings of Yorkshire (Ash Grove Book) p. 108-22
  • Pevsner, N., 1967; revised by Enid Radcliffe, Buildings of England: Yorkshire: West Riding (London) p. 261
  • Speight, H., 1892, Craven and North-west Yorkshire Highlands p. 361-3 online copy
  • Whitaker, T.D., 1878 (3edn edited by A.W. Morant), The History and Antiquities of the Deanery of Craven in the County of York (Leeds and London) p. 151-3
  • Whitaker, T.D., 1812, The History and Antiquities of the Deanery of Craven in the County of York (London) p. 126-29 online copy

Journals

  • Shaw, Karen and Francis, 2007, 'Hellifield Peel' North Craven Heritage Trust Journal online copy
  • 2005-6, 'Hellifield Peel' Castle Studies Group Journal Vol 19 p. 124
  • Ryder, P. and Birch, J., 1983, 'Hellifield Peel — a North Yorkshire tower-house' Yorkshire Archaeological Journal Vol. 55 p. 73–94

Primary Sources

  • Maxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1927, Calendar of Charter Rolls 5 Henry VI - 8 Henry VIII, AD 1427-1516, with an appendix, 1215-1288 Vol. 6. (HMSO) p. 11 online copy

Other

  • Grand Designs TV programme first broadcast 28-2-2007 (series 5 episode 16) (restoration of building as a residence)
  • Berg, D., 2003, Hellifield Peel and Homestead Hellifield Documentary Research, Field Survey and Archaeological Evaluation (WYAS)
  • Creighton, O.H., 1998, Castles and Landscapes: An Archaeological Survey of Yorkshire and the East Midlands (PhD Thesis University of Leicester) p. 596-7 online copy
  • Degnan, Sue, 1993, Yorkshire Pele Towers (University of York dissertation) p. 48