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Summary

16th century or earlier manor house, or possibly hunting lodge, in ruins, with an attached house that appears to be a late 18th century conversion of part of the building.

Monument Type(s):

• MANOR HOUSE? (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1300 AD to 1600 AD)
• HUNTING LODGE? (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1400 AD to 1600 AD)
• HOUSE (Post Medieval - 1750 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events

• EDR1359 - Ordnance Survey Field Report, 24-MAY-60
• EDR747 - Ordnance Survey Field Report, 02-JUN-66

Full Description

"Eastwood Hall (In Ruins)" is shown on the 1921 OS map at approx. SK 3582 6282. (1)

Eastwood Hall, once known as New Hall, was formed from a sub-infeudation of the original manor of Ashover, sometime after the 13th century. It is mentioned in 1337. Destroyed in the Civil War, it is now a ruin. (2)

By 1302 there was a great house in Ashover called the New Hall, afterwards known as Eastwood Hall, which can perhaps be identified with one of the two manors at Ashover mentioned in Domesday. Addy refers to a publication by Sir George Sitwell in which the ruins are discussed, with mention of the arch over the east doorway being a 'very fine and interesting specimen of Norman architecture at the early part of the 12th century, and the interior of the hall or vestibule also showing traces of the same style'. Early English windows and masonry in the western tower (probably about 1220) were associated with ownership by the Willoughbys, while the buildings on the north side were thought to be the work of the Reresbys, probably erected very early in the 16th century. Addy, however, notes 'I have seen this ruin, but failed to notice traces of Norman work'. (3)

There is early 16th century work on the north side of the building and a Jacobean window in the north wall. The ruins are of an Elizabethan and older house. (4).

The ruins of Eastwood Hall are in poor condition and overgrown by ivy and shrubs. They are of 16th century date with original entrances, mullioned and transomed windows, fire places, etc. A cottage, of reused material, built against the west side of the ruin, is known as Eastwood Hall Cottage. No evidence of earlier work was seen in the ruins. See GP's AO/60/113/2 - East side of ruins from the south-east: AO/60/113/3 - North side from the north; AO/60/113/4 - Ruins from the south-west. (5) No change. (6)

Eastwood Hall, now ruinous, was a large fortified manor house of rubble construction, standing approximately five storeys high. The house is apparently Elizabethan and earlier, but little is known about it except that it was the seat of the Reresby family. Listed building, Grade 2. (7)

Ashover is a large parish which, by the 17th century, possessed several small estates, each with a seat one of which came to the Reresby family. It is not clear when the Reresbys first built a house on the site, but by the middle of the 15th century a remarkable early example of the Midland high house seems to have been erected. This appears to have originally been a free-standing five-storey tower, of fortified appearance (although no licence to crenellate was applied for, and none granted). The east front had the highest part at its south end, with a lower, three-storey part connected forming the east front proper. This consisted effectively of five bays marked by miniscule two -light mullioned windows with a string course above. The central bay was deeply recessed, but with an infilled porch at ground level - possibly a later addition. The whole was built of coarse squared stone, with ashlared quoins at the angles all in millstone grit sandstone, probably Ashover Grit (appropriately) or Chatsworth Grit, giving a powerful aspect. So ruinous is it today, however, that we can form only a hazy idea of what sort of skyline it would have had. There are no surviving obvious signs of earthworks, and the assumption has to be made that this was a possible hunting lodge, owing much to the Prior's lodging at Repton of 1437-38. Sir Thomas Reresby married Mary Monson of South Carlton, Lincolnshire, and set about spending her money - to the tune of £2,000 - in rebuilding the house to make a more comfortable residence of it. He added a new range to the south-west and carried this to the north-west angle, adding a short service wing to the north and a parlour range of only one storey to the east of that face of the high tower, lit by six-light mullion and transom cross windows under straight hood moulds and quoined in a matching style to the older work. The interior was, apparently, richly plastered. Not many years later, Sir Thomas had made the house and estate over to trustees in an attempt to discharge his debts, to some extent caused by over-extravagance in building. It was, however, too late and in 1612 it was mortgaged to Samuel Tryon. Shortly afterwards Tyron foreclosed and in 1623 sold to Revd Emmanuel Bourne, rector of Ashover, who took up residence in the house. During the Civil War, Bourne's refusal to provide sustenance for Parliamentary troops resulted in the house being fired. In 1762, the ruined Hall and some land was sold to the governors of Queen Anne's Bounty to augment the living of Brimington. (9)

A letter purporting to be written in 1646 by the Rev. Immanuel Bourne describes the destruction of his Ashover home, Eastwood Old Hall, by Roundhead canon stationed on the hilltop to the north. However, as some doubt has been cast on the authenticity of this letter, the original of which has been inconveniently lost, this reference must be discounted. (ref. not stated)

During the civil war the hall was occupied by the vicar of Ashover the Rev. Immanuel Bourne. He remained neutral much to the disapproval of both sides. Eventually he sided with the Parlimentarians, but they did not trust him, so detonated the hall. (10)

Sources and Further Reading

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