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Monument Types

• MANOR HOUSE (Early Medieval to Modern - 1293 AD to 2050 AD) + Sci.Date

Summary

C13th manor house, later used as a farmhouse. By the 1960s it had fallen into disrepair and was used as a pig sty. It was restored and is now a museum. The building was a chamber block accompanying a ground-floor hall that no longer exists.

Additional Information

Listed building description:
House, c.1280, altered C17, restored 1966-71, of Charnwood granite rubble with ashlar dressings, C20 timber-framed gables and Swithland slate roofs. Massive rubble stack to rear (truncated). Main hall block of 2-storeys lies E-W with wings projecting north at each end to form a half H-plan, and a further wing of slightly later date extends from the north-east angle. South wall contains original first-floor entrance to hall, holes for for staircase still visible. Shallow angle buttresses (except at south-east corner and in north wing). C13 cusped lancets, restored. South, north and east walls largely rebuilt during restoration. Ground floor fireplace C17, dates from conversion of undercroft to kitchen, when the height of the ceiling was also raised. First floor hall has C17 fireplace (fragment of stone wall bracket only remains of C13 fireplace). 3 C17 roof trusses, one closed and two open. Hall separated from wings by timber-framed partitions. Part of original plaster infilling survives by doorway to east wing. C17 mullioned windows of 3 and 4 lights with hood bands above, inserted in south and east walls. Window at west end of hall is single large lancet.

In 1993 ET did evaluation south of the Manor House before new gardens. Courtyard surfaces and a relatively modern barn were revealed.

In 1997 an unscheduled visit was made to the Manor House following a report that earth moving works were underway. A previously unrecorded stone alignment was observed and a mortared brick wall (probably the garden wall linking the Manor House and the demolished barn. Work linked to development of gardens north of the barn. (LB 04/11/97)

PS donated 4 sherds of medieval and one sherd of post-medieval pottery found at "SK 4200 1265 May 1997 Found East of House in Garden". Note that topsoil is known to have been imported to the site in the late C20th by LCC so any unstratified finds have to be treated with caution. More soil was imported c.1997 during gardens development. (X.A13.1999) (RJP 25/02/99)

The Manor House has been descheduled. The Manor House itself has been listed, Grade II*, and the barn separately listed Grade II. (RJP 21/03/03)

<1> Pevsner N, 1984, The Buildings of England Leicestershire and Rutland, p146 (Bibliographic reference). SLE4.

"MANOR HOUSE. A moated upper-hall house of c.1280 in random local stone, with thin buttresses at each corner except the SE. U-plan. The hall faces S. To the N project two wings. At the NE corner of the NW wing a later C13 block housing the staircase. At first-floor level, timber-framed partitions with two-centred doorways divide the wings from the hall. Masonry holes show the line of the exterior stair and porch leading to the original entrance on the upper floor. The doorway remains, its arch also two-centred, with a simple chamfered moulding. It gave on to a service room (buttery?) once separated from the hall on the right by a timber-framed screen: the closed truss above reveals mortice holes for it in the tie-beam and evidence of studs and infill. An earlier staircase against the screen (now removed) gave access to a basement. In the hall, two open trusses with collars and simple chamfered ties, a fireplace in the N wall, and a blocked exterior door in the SE front. In the E gable a C13 pointed window remodelled in the C17. The gable window of the 'buttery' has no mullion. Many windows on the first floor, mostly with trefoil heads and three small trefoil lights. C17 casement windows to the S and E. C17 also the ground-floor entrance and fireplace and the mouldings of the beams supporting the hall floor."

<2> Leicestershire Archaeological and Historical Society, 2013, Transactions of the Leicestershire Archaeological and Historical Society, Volume 87, Vol 87 (2013), p161-189 (Journal). SLE4252.

Nick Hill and Peter Liddle published a new article detailing the history of the manor house in 'Transactions' Vol 87 (2013), p161-189: "The original form of the building, probably built by Robert de Herle soon after 1293, is reconstructed. Early studies thought the building to be a 'first-floor hall', but it is now interpreted as a chamber block, which accompanied a lost ground-floor hall. The building, which survives in remarkably complete condition, was largely constructed in a single phase of work, to a sophisticated and carefully integrated design. Most unusually, there were two sets of chambers, each with an inner chamber and garderobe. The location of the lost hall remains unclear, but it may have stood independently to the south-east of the chamber block. The later development of the house, including a major modernisation of c.1618, is briefly traced."
The original house was built in c.1273-1308, as confirmed by tree-ring dating of the first-floor doorways. The original building appears to have had a main block and two matching wings. The principal rooms, on the first floor, formed an unusually extensive block set of chambers. On the ground floor the main block was divided into two rooms. The whole of the ground floor was clearly intended as a service or storage space, and would have had no direct connection to the rooms above.

<3> The Archaeological Journal, Vol 105 (1950), p41-3 (Journal). SLE2994.

"13th century domestic architecture in England"

<4> Transactions of the Ancient Monuments Society, Vol 10 (1962), p33-42 (Journal). SLE6092.

"Manor House Farm, Donington le Heath, Leics, c.1280"

<5> The Archaeological Journal, Vol 112 (1955), p176 (Journal). SLE2994.

"Manor House Farm", Simms notes an earthwork enclosure to the east.

<6> 1965-6, Transactions of the Leicestershire Archaeological and Historical Society, Volume 41, Vol 41 (1966), p71 (Journal). SLE5981.

In the 1960s the farm fell into disrepair and was used as a pig sty. It was purchased by Leics CC in c.1965 and repair work started. TH has donated photos of this work in which his father was involved.

<7> 1971, Transactions of the Leicestershire Archaeological and Historical Society, Volume 47, Vol 47 (1972), p22-42 (Journal). SLE5931.

In June/July 1970 (at a late stage in the work) AD was invited to do some excavation. 4 trenches were excavated revealing 2 possible walls at the NE corner running EW. Possible walls at SE corner running S and a stone base for the wooden staircase, as well as courtyard surfaces etc. She argues that there may have been a moat and notes the bank to the east and the holloway to the north and west to support this. Finds include early medieval pottery, late medieval pottery, early medieval ridge tile.

<8> Hartley R F, 1984, The Medieval Earthworks of North West Leicestershire, p22, p24 (Bibliographic reference). SLE326.

"The manor house, now beautifully restored as a museum, formerly had a bank and ditch on the south and east sides (1). This has been desribed as a moat but the topography makes this seem unlikely. There is a drained fishpond (2) a little distance away to the south.
"This area south and east of the hall was formerly known as "The Parks" (Nichols 1811 756).
"Pevsner dates Donington-le-Heath manor house ot about 1280, which may well be the oldest house in Leicestershire (Pevsner 1960)."

<9> Hartley, RF, 1988, Formal Gardens of Leicestershire & Rutland, an archaeological survey of the evidence: 1500-1750, p41 (Unpublished document). SLE416.

"This upper-hall manor house of c.1280 is one of the oldest domestic buildings in the county. In the 17th century a number of new windows were inserted on the south and east sides, looking out over an area called "The Parks" on the Tithe Map of 1840. Within this area there are remains of a rectangular fish pond. It would appear that there was an amenity park associated with the house in the 17th century if not earlier. The house later descended the social scale, becoming a small farm. Unfortunately the recent restoration of the site was done a few years before the present concern with historical accuracy became general. Nevertheless the gardens are a pleasant place to enjoy tea and scones on a summer afternoon."

<10> Smith, David, 1993, Donington le Heath Manor House, Interpretation Report (Unpublished document). SLE3851.

An interpretation report for the building in 1993 included previous research, documentary evidence, photographic assessment, etc. A plan was drawn of the south elevation. The report concludes that "Donington le Heath's uniqueness is that it contains two distinct plans which sit on top of each other, the one of a first-floor hall house and the second a ground floor post-medieval farmhouse".

<11> Vernacular Architecture Group, 2016, Dendrochronology Database (Digital archive). SLE4697.

Tree-ring dating was carried out on timbers from the first floor hall of the original roof. Felling Date 1272-1307. A date for the replacement roof was 1618/9.
(Information from VAG Dendrochronology Database, 'http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archives/view/vag_dendro/full_record.cfm?id=215', accessed 23/07/2015.)
Collection doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.5284/1039454

<12> 2016, National Record of the Historic Environment (NRHE) accessioning (Website). SLE4981.

SUMMARY: "Manor House built c1280, altered in the 17th century, restored in 1966-71 surviving as a roofed building. Surrounded by an enclosure bank and possible moat surviving as an earthwork. Medieval barn, altered C20th seen as roofed building."
URL: 'https://nrhe-to-her.esdm.co.uk/NRHE/RecordDetail.aspx?pageid=45&he_uid=920571', accessioned 18/03/2024.

<13> Ordnance Survey 1:10,560 (6") historic mapping, 1967 (Map). SLE7243.

(SK 4202 1266) Manorhouse Farm
(SK 4209 1269) Moat (NR)

<14> Field Investigators Comments, B H Seaman/06-JUL-1972 (Website). SLE3488.

Restoration work on the house and barn is now virtually complete, and since the beginning of the month the house has been open to the public.
A slight depression on the east and south sides suggests a former moat, but the enclosure bank to the east is now almost ploughed out.
Published survey (25" 1960) revised.

<15> Scheduled Monument List/Amendment, DOE Ancient Monuments List 1971, p136 (Scheduling record). SLE7368.

Scheduled as Manorhouse Farm.

<16> Scheduled Monument List/Amendment, English Heritage SAM List Leicestershire March 1994 12 (Scheduling record). SLE7368.

<17> 2001, Transactions of the Leicestershire Archaeological and Historical Society, Volume 75, Vol 75 (2001) (Journal). SLE5972.

Watching brief during the construction of paths along the N and E sides of the house. Slate scatter with associated C13th-C14th ridge tile revealed to the N; late C19-C20 cobbling to the E. A wall, shown by documents to have been standing in the 1960s,was found to the SE.

Sources

Associated Finds

• SHERD (Medieval - 1067 AD to 1539 AD)
• TILE (Early Medieval - 1067 AD to 1349 AD)

Designations

• Listed Building (II*) 1074361: MANOR HOUSE
• Conservation Area: Donington le Heath

Associated Images

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