More information : [NX 98342098] Moresby Hall [G.T.] (1)
Moresby Hall. One Morris is stated to have been seated at Moresby temp. William Rufus and from him the family name derives. Hugone de Moricebi occurs as a witness to a charter of 1192 and the family name occurs throughout the 13, 14 and 15th cents. Sir Christopher (d. 1499) Moresby's daughter took the estates to Sir Christopher Pykerynge, and for two generations the family occasionally made the hall at Moresby their abode. (2)
In 1576 the Hall, manor and advowson of Moresby were sold to W. Fletcher whose son is considered to have been the rebuilder of the front of the hall in the reign of James I "on the site of the principal portion of the more ancient hall of Moresby" Other parts with thick walls, narrow circular stone stairs, and low wide tone mullioned windows are remnants of an earlier structure. A gate of the 17th cent. is at the entrace to the court before the house, on the west side of which extends a range of ancient stables, now converted to farm uses. (3)
The name Moresby Hall is retained for the front or southern half of the building, whilst the northern portion or the rear of the building is known as Moresby Hall Farm. They are now two distinct residences.
Moresby Hall is now in use as a guest house by the High Duty Alloys Ltd. The south front is of 17th c. Palladian style, three stories high and built of regularly coursed dressed stone with mullioned and transomed windows. The gabled slate roof is hidden behind a solid stone parapet that extends the length of the frontage. The east side is stucco covered and architecturally plain. The older portion of the building is internally divided from the present Moresby Hall and is used as a farmhouse. It is of two stories and its thick stone walls stucco covered. It has inserted sash windows and modern chimneys. On the east side is a massive Tudor style crow-stepped chimney breast and a blocked mullioned and transomed window. At first floor height, and built externally on the East wall, is a former flying privy or garderobe. The south wall as seen from a small inner courtyard has blocked mullioned and transomed windows with drip course over. The building is consistent with a 16th century dating. The farm buildings to the west of the Hall are built of regularly coursed stone with no definite dating evidence. Correctly shown on 25" AM
G.P. 59:294:3 Moresby Hall from S.
G.P. 59:294:4 Moresby Hall & Farm from E. (4)
Moresby Hall, Grade II*.
Large House. Incorporates (medieval?) tower house with additions. Re-fronted c1670, probably by William Thackery (stylistic links with his work at Ribton Hall - demolished 1923 - and elsewhere). Banded front with cornice carrying blocking course. Graduated slate roofs with stone copings, stepped, rendered, chimney to rear on either side of central projecting wing. Symmetrical 3-storey, 7-bay front has central, studded, door in round-headed, rusticated, surround with Fletcher coat of arms in open segmental pediment. All diamond-leaded,2-light, stone-mullioned, windows in architraves. Ground floor windows have single transoms; 1st floor windows have 2 transoms and pediment (alternating triangular and segmental) with more ornate surround to central window which stands on doorcase. Lower wing at right-angles to west end at rear. Interior not examined (see description in Pevsner). Attribution offront to Thackery by Blake Tyson in an article on Thackery's work at Flatt Hall to be published in Transactions of Ancient Monument Society.
Entrance walls & gate piers to Moresby Hall
Wall and gate piers, probably late C17. Snecked rubble wall, with triangular coping, c6 ft high. Rusticated gate piers, square in plan c8 ft high, with domical tops to corniced caps. (5,6)
Listed with plan of the ground floor. (7) |