Moresby Hall

Has been described as a Possible Pele Tower

There are uncertain remains

NameMoresby Hall
Alternative Names
Historic CountryCumberland
Modern AuthorityCumbria
1974 AuthorityCumbria
Civil ParishParton

Large house. Overall courtyard plan. Date and development. 3 main building phases. (i) Late medieval, built for the Moresby family which died out in the male line in 1499, and possibly incorporating a tower to the NW with a hall range attached to the E. There is insufficient evidence to reconstruct the medieval plan. (ii) Late C16/early C17, built for the Fletcher family who bought the estate in 1576; this phase involved a radical remodelling of the older house with associated refenestration and re-roofing, and the principal dating features are the double-chamfered windows under hood moulds. The house had definitely assumed a courtyard plan by this phase. (iii) Late C17 (c.1670-90), the remodelling of the S range (heightened and re-fronted with rusticated ashlar), again for the Fletcher family possibly to designs by William Thackery or Edward Addison. C18 and C19 modifications. … The right-hand element in this elevation now forms the gable end of the W. range (with internal end stack, coped gable with kneelers, garage entrance). It is highly likely that this part of the house (ie the NW corner) incorporates a medieval pele tower served by a still surviving newel in the SE angle. W. elevation (all phases). The former pele and W. range all under the same roof with ridge stack. … One unadorned slit window lights pele tower newel and is probably medieval. Interior. With the exception of the S range, very little early work survives or is visible although much is probably concealed. Of the medieval work (other than undetailed masonry) only the newel of the pele is visible rising from ground to attic. There is evidence suggestive of a second newel to the inner SE angle of the building. The pele was re-roofed along with the W range in the second phase (2 bays visible, tie beam, collar, staggered purlins, pegged throughout). (Listed Building Report)

Not scheduled

This is a Grade 1 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 ReferenceNX983209
Latitude54.5737495422363
Longitude-3.57411003112793
Eastings298340
Northings520980
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

No photos available. If you can provide pictures please contact Castlefacts

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.

Calculate Print

Books

  • Perriam, Denis and Robinson, John, 1998, The Medieval Fortified Buildings of Cumbria (Kendal: CWAAS Extra Series 29) p. 108-9 (plan)
  • Cooper, Nicholas, 1999, Houses of the Gentry, 1480-1680 (Yale University Press) p. 234, 235, 249, 274, 275
  • Salter, Mike, 1998, The Castles and Tower Houses of Cumbria (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 75
  • 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. 89
  • Hugill, Robert, 1977, Castles and Peles of Cumberland and Westmorland (Newcastle; Frank Graham) p. 135-137
  • Pevsner, Nikolaus, 1967, Buildings of England: Cumberland and Westmorland (Harmondsworth) p. 164
  • Whellan, W., 1860, The History and Topography of the Counties of Cumberland and Westmorland (Pontefract: W.Whellan and Co.) p. 413-421 online copy

Journals

  • Tyson, Blake, 1984, 'Work of Wm Thackeray' Transactions of the Ancient Monument Society Vol. 8 p. 61-92 (on later house)