Johnby Hall

Has been described as a Possible Pele Tower

There are masonry ruins/remnants remains

NameJohnby Hall
Alternative Names
Historic CountryCumberland
Modern AuthorityCumbria
1974 AuthorityCumbria
Civil ParishGreystoke

Probably late C14 with C15, C16 and C17 extensions and late C17, C18 and C19 alterations. Thick pink sandstone rubble walls, on chamfered plinth, under hipped graduated greenslate roof with banded sandstone ashlar chimney stacks. C14 3-storey rectangular tower to which has been added a smaller C15 3-storey rectangular tower, joined by a short passageway; C16 unifying refacing and 3-storey angle stair turret, gives a 3-storey 4-bay facade; at left a right-angled C17 2-storey, 4-bay kitchen wing, forming overall L-shape. The main feature of the facade is the projecting right full-height stair turret which has on its left return wall a stone door architrave under a shaped hood, which is carried up and around a large panel inscribed WILLIAM MUSGRAVE, ISABEL MATENDALE 1583, with further English lettering giving the family descent. Upper-floor front 2- and 3-light windows under hoodmoulds. Facade has off-centre door in C19 surround, replacing the left 1747 doorway, now a window. Various 2- and 3-light windows on 3 levels, some mullioned and transomed, one of 5 lights. The return walls and rear have irregular small medieval openings, some of them blocked and various 2- and 3-light windows, some in C19 surrounds. The kitchen wing has a central Tudor-arched doorway under a terracotta panel of a horseman. 2- and 4-light chamfered stone-mullioned windows and left pent extension. Right link with the main house has a Tudor-arched doorway, up stone steps, the lintel inscribed WM CM 1637 (William Musgrave and Catherine his wife). Interior of the main house has original features such as vaulted basements, newel staircases and stone arched fireplaces. (Listed Building Report)

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 ReferenceNY434327
Latitude54.6866798400879
Longitude-2.87904000282288
Eastings343420
Northings532760
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink
Photograph by Matthew Emmott. All rights reservedView full Sized Image

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Books

  • Perriam, Denis and Robinson, John, 1998, The Medieval Fortified Buildings of Cumbria (Kendal: CWAAS Extra Series 29) p. 189 (plan)
  • Salter, Mike, 1998, The Castles and Tower Houses of Cumbria (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 63
  • Pettifer, A., 1995, English Castles, A guide by counties (Woodbridge: Boydell Press) p. 48 (slight)
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 1 p. 94
  • Hugill, Robert, 1977, Castles and Peles of Cumberland and Westmorland (Newcastle; Frank Graham) p. 103-5
  • Pevsner, N., 1967, Buildings of England: Cumberland and Westmorland (Harmondsworth: Penguin) p. 146
  • Taylor, M.W., 1892, Old Manorial Halls of Westmorland and Cumberland (Kendal: CWAAS Extra Series 8) p. 294-304 online copy

Journals

  • Brown, H.W., 1932, Johnby Hall' Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society Vol. 32 p. 85-103 online copy
  • Taylor, M.W., 1890, 'Johnby Hall' Transactions of the Cumberland and Westmorland Antiquarian and Archaeological Society Vol. 11 p. 80-90 online copy