Elslack Hall

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

There are masonry ruins/remnants remains

NameElslack Hall
Alternative NamesEstlake in Craven
Historic CountryYorkshire
Modern AuthorityNorth Yorkshire
1974 AuthorityNorth Yorkshire
Civil ParishElslack

The Manor Hall of Elslack seems to have been rebuilt about the reign of Henry VIII. 12 Edward II (1319). Godfrey de Altaripa had licence to embattle his house at Elslacke and a few lancet windows may possibly be of that period. There are the remains of a moat.

There are two stones on different parts of the building inscribed RB 1672, doubtless meant to commemorate the restoration of the hall by Robert Benson (Whitaker; Speight).

Elslack Hall is a two storey building much modernised but still retaining many of its 18th century features. The lancet windows mentioned by Whitaker are still to be seen but no trace remains of the two stones dated 1672 (Field Investigator, RL, 12-AUG-1960). (PastScape)

Of the embattled house of the Altaripas (if they ever availed themselves of their licence to embattle) there are now no appearances; a few lancet windows may possibly be of that period, but the greatest part of the present house seems to have been rebuilt about the reign of Henry VIII. and has little remarkable about it.—The Dungeon mentioned by Dodsworth has disappeared, and is forgotten. The house has been surrounded by a deep and broad moat. (Whitaker)

Gatehouse Comments

The actual form of the C14 house is not known. Going to the bother of obtaining a licence to crenellate may suggest an intent to build something large and grand but scant remains might suggest a fairly limited amount of masonry work.

- Philip Davis

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 ReferenceSD928492
Latitude53.9390106201172
Longitude-2.11059999465942
Eastings392840
Northings449230
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink
Photo by Philip Davis. All Rights Reserved

() above

Latitude 53° 56' 20.7" Longitude -2° 6' 37.67"

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.

Calculate Print

Books

  • Salter, Mike, 2001, The Castles and Tower Houses of Yorkshire (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 37
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 2 p. 530
  • Le Patourel, H.E. Jean, 1973, The Moated Sites of Yorkshire (The Society for Medieval Archaeology Monograph Series 5) p. 124
  • Speight, H., 1902, Tramps and Drives round Skipton, Grassington And Malham p. 18
  • Turner, T.H. and Parker, J.H., 1859, Some account of Domestic Architecture in England (Oxford) Vol. 3 Part 2 p. 407 online copy
  • Whitaker, T.D., 1812, The History and Antiquities of the Deanery of Craven in the County of York (London) p. 99-100 online copy

Journals

  • 1912, Bradford Antiquary Vol 3 (New Series) p. 264

Primary Sources

  • Maxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1903, Calendar of Patent Rolls Edward II (1317-21) Vol. 3 p. 242 online copy

Other

  • Creighton, O.H., 1998, Castles and Landscapes: An Archaeological Survey of Yorkshire and the East Midlands (PhD Thesis University of Leicester) p. 593 online copy