| Summary : The site of the magnate's residence and manorial centre of Steeton Hall, former seat of the Reygate and Foljambes families. The core of the complex is 14th century. The 14th century building is thought to have been much larger than the fragment surviving today and buried remains indicating the full extent and nature of this medieval building will survive beneath and adjacent to the later additions. The latter are mainly 17th and 19th century in date. Steeton Hall stood at the centre of a complex of domestic and agricultural structures lying within a large precinct which was defined by a wall. A mid 14th century gatehouse providing access into the precinct still stands, this may have been built by William de Reygate, a royal administrator. Within the precinct was a smaller inner enclosure which contained the hall itself and the immediate domestic buildings. In the outer precinct a range of buildings associated with the wider agricultural and economic functions of the manorial centre would have been located. In the north western section of the precinct are a series of stone revetted garden terraces. The precinct wall survives as a low bank extending eastward from the gatehouse, turning south for 110 metres then westward for 270 metres then northwards towards a stream. In some places stone footings for the wall are visible along the bank and in one place east of the gatehouse 3 courses of stonework survive above ground level. Further building platforms survive as slight earthwork features whilst in the north east corner of the monument there are the remains of a now dry fishpond. The gatehouse dates to circa 1360 and is a two storey rectangular structure with a central archway and a small side passage. The top of the gatehouse is crenellated and decorated with gargoyles and coats of arms and crests carved onto stone shields. The gatehouse is in the care of English Heritage, some later buildings formerly belonging to the complex are on private land. |
More information : [SE 48343140] Steeton Hall [GT]
[SE 48403143] Gateway [GT]. (1)
Steeton Hall: In 1342 William de Reygate renewed his licence for a chapel at Steeton, and possibly the three storied wing of the house, which lies to the east, was built in that year. The Gatehouse was built c. 1350-75. The rest of the house is of later date, although the walls may be in part contemporary with the Chapel wing, and some of the later building may date from c.1642. (2)
Steeton Hall; now a farmhouse; the Gatehouse, centre and one wing of the house remain. 'Originally there were four gateway towers, one on each side of the walled square surrounding the house. Foundations of these outer walls are in many places to be traced...'. (3)
Additional Bibliography. (4-6)
SE 48333140 The original Hall, now partially uninhabited, is stone constructed of three storeys. Original architectural features include 1 to 3 light stone mullioned windows, some of which have transomes and hood moulding, a decorative string course, an embattled and decorated main gate with inner court and a watch tower at the north-west extreme. The fabric shows signs of much restoration and rebuilding at various periods and the inner court (above noted) is in fact a conversion of a former two storey hall. The architectural details suggest a 16/17c. period of construction. SE 48343139. To the south-west lies the Chapel wing, this is stone constructed, of three storeys and stands on a plinth course, windows are of Decorated and lancet type, and below the eaves is a row of decorated corbels. The former chapel, now in use as a dining room, exhibits quadripartite vaulting.
Architecture is of 14c. form exhibiting evidence of much refacing. The domestic apartments south of the chapel are modern. The gatehouse is constructed of limestone blocks and stands on a massive plinth course; apart from the main carriage gate a postern is in evidence to the east, the main arch is ribbed in a similar fashion to the chapel. A spiral staircase gives access to an upper compartment containing a fireplace and a garderobe, and further extends to the battlements. The gatehouse carries decorated corbels and stone spouting. An official notice states it to be scheduled as an ancient monument and to have been restored by the Ministry.
Running east of the gatehouse is a curtain wall, at its junction with the former, where it has been restored, it is 5.0 m in height, crenellated, and 0.4 m thick; after 6.0 m the restoration ceases and the wall exists at ground level, and varying low heights, for some 300 metres. West of the gate the curtain has been restored for 11.0m, being 5.0m high. The published name of the Hall was confirmed correct by the owner.
See GPs AO/59/227/1 - North face of chapel.
/2 - Hall from NW.
/3 - North face of chapel.
/4 - Hall from east.
/5 - Hall from SW.
AO/59/235/6 - Gatehouse from SW.
AO/235 /7 - Gatehouse from North.
/8 - Chapel from East.
A 25" survey has been made of the gatehouse and curtain wall. (7)
Condition unchanged. (8)
Condition unchanged. (9)
Steeton Hall and the Gatehouse at Steeton Hall are both Grade I buildings, 14th century and later. (10)
A guide to free sites published in 2004 provides as description of Steeton Hall Gateway and its level of access at time of publication. The manor was once the seat of the Reygate and then the Foljambes families. The surviving gatehouse may date to about 1360- later buildings also survive, these are on private land. (13)
In April 2014, earthworks on land belonging to 11 Steeton Way (part of Steeton Hall) were subject to rapid walkover assessment to evaluate their nature and distribution (Event uid 1611038). The area of investigation covered a 4ha area consisting of the narrow field immediately south of the property and the much larger field to its west, this incorporated the broad spread earthwork assumed to mark the east (as a bank) and south (as an inward-facing scarp) sides of the precinct boundary and several ephemeral earthworks within the area enclosed by it. The clearest suggestions of internal features were identified as very shallow sub-rectangular and sub-circular depressions atop a low natural flat-topped knoll immediately south of the gatehouse. These are very insubstantial and have a strong degree of ambiguity in their form and shape making it difficult to be certain as to what they represent: they could be the former positions of small structures relating to the manorial complex, but equally they could represent scrapes left by long-since-removed trees, stock pens or drinking troughs, or even surface limestone extraction as seen elsewhere nearby. The earthworks were roughly surveyed at about 0.5m accuracy, but a more targeted investigation might add clarity to the understanding and interpretation of this area of the site. (15)
|