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Name:THE OLD HALL, MARKFIELD ROAD (NORTH-EAST SIDE), GROBY
HER Ref:MLE11722
Parish:Groby, Hinckley and Bosworth, Leicestershire
Grid Reference:SK 524 075
Map:Coming soon

Monument Types

  • MANOR HOUSE (Late Medieval to Modern - 1450 AD? to 2050 AD) + Sci.Date

Summary

Important brick-built medieval manor house. The earliest component of the present building (the open hall) was constructed in the C15th and altered/extended in brick in the later C15th. It declined in importance from the early C16th, being let out as a tenant farm.

Additional Information

Listed building description:
House. Late C15, altered C17, restored 1858, some C20 alterations. Red brick in English bond with some diaper work in black brick, sandstone ashlar, diminishing coursed slate roofs. Main block with attached 4 storey angle tower to left, with hipped roof. Single storey with parapet and 2 storey plus garret irregular 7 bay front, 2 right-hand bays with separate gables, with mutilated diaper work to left and centre. Off-centre C20 garage door, with to left, a small glazing bar casement, 2 planked doors and matching double doors, all under timber lintels. To right, a large 3-light mullioned window is flanked by single similar smaller windows. Beyond is a planked door set in a 4-centred arched and chamfered surround with hood mould having label stops. To first floor, a central large 6-light mullioned and transomed window is flanked by single smaller 3-light mullioned windows. All mullioned windows have chamfered surrounds and glazing bar lights. In the left-hand gable is a further 3-light mullioned window with diamond leaded lights. To the right-hand gable is a blocked 4-centred arched window. Beyond, to the left, is a small leaded casement and to the angle tower, in the 3 upper stages, are single 4-centred arched and chamfered openings with drip moulds. Originally the home of the Grey family with associations with Lady Jane Grey.


<1> Dryden, A, 1911, Memorials of Old Leicester, p103-6 (Bibliographic reference). SLE5896.

According to Dryden (1911), Groby Old Hall was the home of the Greys and was built in stone before 1446, extended in brick in the late C15th.

<2> Pevsner N, 1984, The Buildings of England Leicestershire and Rutland, p170 (Bibliographic reference). SLE4.

"OLD HALL, Markfield Road, E of the church. The outer parts, of late C15 brick with black diapers, are of the time when the house belonged to Thomas Grey (see Bradgate). The centre, of stone, may well be part of the outer buildings of Groby Castle, which disappeared before the end of the C12 except for the mound, still 22ft high to the NW. These buildings extended as far as the present church: various stone walls existed until the 1940s. The main range, restored in 1858, has a late C16 gabled stone centre of two parallel blocks, the front with large (six-light) mullioned-and-transomed windows without hoodmoulds. In the brick parts right and left three-light stone windows and a four-centred doorway. Towards the road a one-storey wing, built against a ruined brick wall, with the lower part of one narrow rectangular tower, converted to a dovecote, and nearest the road another, three-storey tower with a vaulted undercroft. Single-light windows with hoodmoulds. There are various undeciphered ruined brick walls at the back."

<3> Hartley, RF, 1988, Formal Gardens of Leicestershire & Rutland, an archaeological survey of the evidence: 1500-1750, p54-5 (Unpublished document). SLE416.

"The Old Hall at Groby was reconstructed in early Tudor times by Thomas Grey, Marquess of Dorset, using the early medieval motte and bailey castle in a modified form, as described by John Leland, who visited the site in 1540: "There remayne few tokens of the old castelle more than yet is, the hille that the kepe of the castelle stood on, very notable, but there is now no stone work upon; and the late Thomas Marquesh (d1530) filled up the diche with earth, entending to marke an herbare there". (The word: "herbare" is a variant on "arbour". It obviously refers to a garden but whether a green, flower bed, orchard or bower is not definable.)"

<4> Robinson, Alice, Groby Hall: A Multi-Disciplinary Approach (Unpublished document). SLE3936.

A Robinson wrote an MA dissertation on Groby Hall, which included an external and internal survey with analysis of the building materials, documentary sources and an accompanying geophysical survey on surrounding land. An effort was also made to place the hall in its wider context.

<5> Finn, N, 2009, Groby Old Hall, Markfield Road, Groby: Historic Building Assessment (Unpublished document). SLE1777.

Historic building assessment work in 2009 summarised the development sequence as follows:
C15th - Open hall constructed, perhaps with contemporary cross-wing at SW end, of which no direct evidence now remains. Possibly built by Ferrers pre 1445?
C.1488-1492 - Thomas Grey, 1st Marquis of Dorset, embarks upon major building campaign at Groby, constructing in brick a gatehouse (unfinished), two towers in front of the house and other unfinished ranges, possibly incorporating an earlier stone boundary wall.
Late C16th - Substantial cross wing constructed, reusing stone (and brick?) from earlier buildings, possibly including the chapel.
Late C16th - Two 3-storey ranges/towers added at junction of hall and cross-wing, possibly soon after the cross-wing was built. One of the towers is now a stair tower and may have been built as such.
C.1600 - Open hall floored over, lateral chimneystack built to heat hall.
Early C17th - Some of the 3-light mullioned windows added to SW front of existing ranges to update this elevation may be as late as the early C17th.
C17th-C18th - Various minor ranges constructed.
Early-mid C18th - Extant staircase constructed.
1757-1828 - 'Lost' wing demolished between these dates and possibly before 1790.
c.1825-1858 - Ancillary range constructed, possibly some time before 1858. Staircase added between ground floor of hall and first floor of ancillary range.
1858 - Brick cottage built incorporating part of earlier range.
1858 - New front door, internal decoration and alterations to Old Hall; several windows restored.
1859-1883/4 - Range linking cottage and Hall was constructed between these dates; range of outbuildings to NE of cottage enlarged/rebuilt.
Late C19th - Saddle room fitted out.
1912-1923 - Trap house enlarged, destroying lower portion of late C15th tower.
Mid C20th - Outbuilding range altered/extended forming new outside WC; partition installed creating farm office in 'cottage' range.
After 1971 - Garage enlarged removing a portion of the vestigial SE wall of one of the ranges.
------
The manorial complex was built following the slighting of the castle. There are references from the C14th. The earliest component of the present Old Hall - the medieval open hall - appears to have been built in the C15th. Later in the C15th major building works in brick were begun by Thomas Grey, including two towers. The south-east elevation of one of the towers has interesting diaper work decoration, probably of the Ferrers arms. Grey never finished the improvements, since he turned his attentions to a new house at Bradgate Park. Following the family's move to Bradgate in the early C16th the house declined in importance and was let out as a tenant farm. By the early C19th one of the towers had been converted into a dovecote. A major phase of refurbishment and expansion took place in the middle of the C19th.
Report is in ADS Library: 10.5284/1012622 - http://dx.doi.org/10.5284/1012622

<6> Finn, Neil, 2011, An archaeological watching brief at Groby Old Hall, Markfield Road, Groby (Unpublished document). SLE3672.

During a watching brief undertaken in 2011, a trench was excavated to the rear (northwest) of the cottage attached to the Hall. This recorded evidence of a brick-built wall foundation associated with an earlier phase of the building, likely to date from between the 15th and 18th Centuries; a second, undated brick foundation; a granite sett path of 19th or early 20th Century date and a large cut feature of uncertain function containing finds attributable to the early 19th Century, possibly a dump of domestic debris. The bricks from the wall foundations may have been reused from the gatehouse begun in the 1480s/90s but never completed.
Report is in ADS Library: 10.5284/1022226 - http://dx.doi.org/10.5284/1022226

<7> Leicestershire Archaeological and Historical Society, 2012, Transactions of the Leicestershire Archaeological and Historical Society, Volume 86, Vol 86 (2012), p224 (Journal). SLE4254.

Notes on the 2011 watching brief are published in 'Transactions'.

<8> Arnold, A & Howard, R, 2014, Groby Old Hall, Markfield Road, Groby, Leicestershire: Tree-ring Analysis of Timbers (Serial). SLE4352.

Tree-ring dating was carried out in 2011/12.
Dendrochronological analysis undertaken on samples from within this complex building resulted in the construction of two site sequences, only one of which could be dated. Site sequence GROBSQ01 contains 45 samples and spans the period AD 1321-1516. Two further samples were individually dated to AD 1400-62 and AD 1577-1668.
The dated samples are from a number of ranges or areas and include some apparently reused timbers. All but one of the dated timbers appear to have been felled during the latter half of the fifteenth century and the first half of the sixteenth century. The exception to this is a door lintel from tower 2 which dates to the final quarter of the seventeenth century or the very early eighteenth century.
Report is in ADS Library: doi:10.5284/1033978 - https://doi.org/10.5284/1033978.

<9> Vernacular Architecture Group, 2016, Dendrochronology Database (Digital archive). SLE4697.

Range A, tree-ring dating gave a felling date of 1468-1519.
(Information from VAG Dendrochronology Database, 'http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archives/view/vag_dendro/full_record.cfm?id=3391', accessed 02/12/2016.)
Range B, tower 1, tree-ring dating gave a felling date of 1465-1565.
(Information from VAG Dendrochronology Database, 'http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archives/view/vag_dendro/full_record.cfm?id=3393', accessed 02/12/2016.)
Range C, tower 2, tree-ring dating gave a felling date of 1677-1702.
(Information from VAG Dendrochronology Database, 'http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archives/view/vag_dendro/full_record.cfm?id=3397', accessed 02/12/2016.)
Range D, tree-ring dating gave a felling date of 1483-1583.
(Information from VAG Dendrochronology Database, 'http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archives/view/vag_dendro/full_record.cfm?id=3396', accessed 02/12/2016.)
Range E, tree-ring dating gave a felling date of 1451-1533.
(Information from VAG Dendrochronology Database, 'http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archives/view/vag_dendro/full_record.cfm?id=3392', accessed 02/12/2016.)
Range F, tree-ring dating gave a felling date of 1471-1539.
(Information from VAG Dendrochronology Database, 'http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archives/view/vag_dendro/full_record.cfm?id=3395', accessed 02/12/2016.)
Range G, crosswing, tree-ring dating gave a felling date of 1525-1550.
(Information from VAG Dendrochronology Database, 'http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archives/view/vag_dendro/full_record.cfm?id=3398', accessed 02/12/2016.)
Range H, stair tower, tree-ring dating gave a felling date of 1468-1506.
(Information from VAG Dendrochronology Database, 'http://archaeologydataservice.ac.uk/archives/view/vag_dendro/full_record.cfm?id=3394', accessed 02/12/2016.)
"At the core of the extant building are the remains of a former open hall ©, believed to be fifteenth century. Only one bay survives, thought originally to have extended to the north-west by at least one further bay. To the south-west of the hall is the crosswing (h), a range of two storeys, plus attics, divided on all floors into two main rooms. To the south-west of the crosswing is another range of two storeys plus attic (a). In the south-east angle between the former open hall and the crosswing is a small, square range €; in the northern angle between the crosswing and the former open hall is another small, near-square range which houses the staircase (d). The tower furthest south from the house, is three storeys high above a brick-vaulted undercroft (b). The second most southerly tower is narrower and lower in height (g). A three-storey range (f), aligned north-east to south-west, once ran from the most southerly tower to the crosswing but all that remains now is its south-east wall. See Vernacular Architecture Group: Spring Conference Programme, 2012, 20; A. Arnold and R. Howard, 'Groby Old Hall, Markfield Road, Groby, Leicestershire, Tree-Ring Analysis of Timbers', RRS 23/2014. "
Collection doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.5284/1039454

<10> 2008, Heritage at Risk: East Midlands Register 2008, p27 (Bibliographic reference). SLE7392.

On Heritage at Risk Register 2008: condition FAIR; occupancy VACANT; priority category E(E); owner type PRIVATE
"House. Late C15, altered C17, restored 1858, some C20 alterations. Adjacent to Scheduled Ancient Monument no. 17062, a moated site. Repairs completed, but vacant."

<11> 2009, Heritage at Risk: East Midlands Register 2009, p37 (Bibliographic reference). SLE7394.

On Heritage at Risk Register 2009: condition POOR; occupancy OCCUPIED; priority category E(E); owner type PRIVATE
"…Repairs completed."

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

SUMMARY: "Mid-late C15th and later manor house restored in 1858 surviving as a roofed building. Contemporay brick-built dovecote."
URL: 'https://nrhe-to-her.esdm.co.uk/NRHE/RecordDetail.aspx?pageid=45&he_uid=921164', accessioned 25/09/2024.

<13> Ordnance Survey 1:10,560 (6") historic mapping, 1930 (Map). SLE7243.

(SK 5240 0759) Old Hall (NAT)

<14> Page, William (ed), 1907, The Victoria County History of the County of Leicester, Volume 1, p266-7 (Bibliographic reference). SLE1156.

The old Manor House of the Greys at Groby was built (in stone) before 1446 (when a baptism in the Chapel is recorded) and was to some extent rebuilt in brick in the later 15th c. It was a farm-house in 1911.
(See also <1, 15, 16 & 17>)

<15> Annotated Record Map, Corr 6" (M P Dare) udtd (Map). SLE7735.

See <14>

<16> 1928, Transactions of the Leicestershire Archaeological and Historical Society, Volume 15, Vol 15 (1927-8), p196, p206 (Journal). SLE5949.

See <14>

<17> 1899-1902, Transactions of the Leicestershire Archaeological and Historical Society, Volume 9, Vol 9 (1904-5), p118-9 (Journal). SLE5982.

See <14>

<18> Field Investigators Comments, F1 RLBW 23-JUN-53 (Website). SLE3488.

Old Hall is restored and now a private residence, but retains much of its original character (photo).To its south,at SK 5238 0757 is a large brick-built tower-like Dovecote (photo). See survey attached to SK 50 NW 1.

<19> List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, MHLG Prov List Market Bosworth R.D, Leic, Dec 1960, 7-8 (Index). SLE7285.

II* Old Hall, Markfield Road
Early C.16-early C.17. The earlier parts are those of red brick with black brick diaper work. Right hand part. One storey, red brick, 4 centred stone entrance door. Capped parapet. Portion to left of this, two storey and gabled attic. Tower like portion of stone and brick. Three-light stone window, on ground and first floors. Pointed single-light window in gable. To left of this and of similar height, is a wide, gabled portion with a large stone window on ground floor, 3 lights, transomed; 6-light mullion and transom window over. Gable of brick with three-light window. Part to left again is of two storeys, brick, one three-light mullioned window each floor, then a one storey brick part and a two storey brick tower with garage doors to parts of each. Then a one storey brick part, then a three storey tower of brick with pyramidal slate roof. Single-light window with dripmould. The one storey portions mentioned have slate roofs which slope up to a ruined red brick back wall. The rear elevation is now composed
largely of ruined Tudor brick former internal walls with blocked stone doorways on upper floor etc. Rear part of house proper is partly of stone with various windows, part to left with one pointed window on ground floor and a three-light above. The building is a highly picturesque structure of the Tudor period.
Interior. Not seen but probably has several features of interest visible besides timbered ceilings and old fireplaces hidden behind later work.
History. Originally the home of the Grey family of Groby, and associated with Lady Jane Grey. The manor courts were formerly held in the room called the old hall.

Sources

<1>Bibliographic reference: Dryden, A. 1911. Memorials of Old Leicester. p103-6.
<2>Bibliographic reference: Pevsner N. 1984. The Buildings of England Leicestershire and Rutland. p170.
<3>Unpublished document: Hartley, RF. 1988. Formal Gardens of Leicestershire & Rutland, an archaeological survey of the evidence: 1500-1750. p54-5.
<4>Unpublished document: Robinson, Alice. Groby Hall: A Multi-Disciplinary Approach.
<5>Unpublished document: Finn, N. 2009. Groby Old Hall, Markfield Road, Groby: Historic Building Assessment.
<6>Unpublished document: Finn, Neil. 2011. An archaeological watching brief at Groby Old Hall, Markfield Road, Groby.
<7>Journal: Leicestershire Archaeological and Historical Society. 2012. Transactions of the Leicestershire Archaeological and Historical Society, Volume 86. Vol 86 (2012), p224.
<8>Serial: Arnold, A & Howard, R. 2014. Groby Old Hall, Markfield Road, Groby, Leicestershire: Tree-ring Analysis of Timbers.
<9>Digital archive: Vernacular Architecture Group. 2016. Dendrochronology Database.
<10>Bibliographic reference: 2008. Heritage at Risk: East Midlands Register 2008. p27.
<11>Bibliographic reference: 2009. Heritage at Risk: East Midlands Register 2009. p37.
<12>Website: 2016. National Record of the Historic Environment (NRHE) accessioning.
<13>Map: Ordnance Survey 1:10,560 (6") historic mapping. 1930.
<14>Bibliographic reference: Page, William (ed). 1907. The Victoria County History of the County of Leicester, Volume 1. p266-7.
<15>Map: Annotated Record Map. Corr 6" (M P Dare) udtd.
<16>Journal: 1928. Transactions of the Leicestershire Archaeological and Historical Society, Volume 15. Vol 15 (1927-8), p196, p206.
<17>Journal: 1899-1902. Transactions of the Leicestershire Archaeological and Historical Society, Volume 9. Vol 9 (1904-5), p118-9.
<18>Website: Field Investigators Comments. F1 RLBW 23-JUN-53.
<19>Index: List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest. MHLG Prov List Market Bosworth R.D, Leic, Dec 1960, 7-8.

Associated Finds

    None recorded

Designations

  • Listed Building (II*) 1074083: THE OLD HALL
  • Conservation Area (): Groby
  • Scheduled Monument 1010193: MOTTE AND BAILEY CASTLE AND MANORIAL COMPLEX AT GROBY

Associated Images

1294_41_4_27_2.JPG
The Old Hall, Markfield Road, Groby (1973)
© Leicestershire County Council
1294_41_4_27_3.JPG
The Old Hall, Markfield Road, Groby (1978)
© Leicestershire County Council
1294_41_4_27_4.JPG
The Old Hall, Markfield Road, Groby (1973)
© Leicestershire County Council
1294_41_4_27_5.JPG
The Old Hall, Markfield Road, Groby (1978)
© Leicestershire County Council
DSCF0149.JPG
The Old Hall, Markfield Road, Groby (2005)
© Leicestershire County Council
DSCF0150.JPG
The Old Hall, Markfield Road, Groby (2005)
© Leicestershire County Council
Parish_070_01.jpg
Masonry, Groby Old Hall (unknown date)
© Leicestershire County Council
Parish_070_06.jpg
Groby Old Hall (unknown date)
© Leicestershire County Council
Misc_058_16.jpg
Groby Old Hall (unknown date)
© Leicestershire County Council
Misc_058_17.jpg
Groby Old Hall (c.1999)
© Leicestershire County Council
Groby Old Hall Early Brick Buildings_01.jpg
C15th early brickwork from Groby Hall
© Leicestershire County Council
Groby Old Hall Early Brick Buildings_02.jpg
C15th early brickwork from Groby Hall - window in south-east elevation
© Leicestershire County Council
Groby Old Hall Early Brick Buildings_03.jpg
C15th early brickwork from Groby Hall - view up tower to access door
© Leicestershire County Council
Groby Old Hall Early Brick Buildings_04.jpg
C15th early brickwork from Groby Hall - tower fragment
© Leicestershire County Council
Groby Old Hall Early Brick Buildings_05.jpg
C15th early brickwork from Groby Hall
© Leicestershire County Council
Groby Old Hall Early Brick Buildings_06.jpg
C15th early brickwork from Groby Hall
© Leicestershire County Council
Groby Old Hall Early Brick Buildings_07.jpg
Groby Old Hall
© Leicestershire County Council
Groby Old Hall Early Brick Buildings_08.jpg
Groby Old Hall
© Leicestershire County Council
Groby Old Hall Early Brick Buildings_09.jpg
Groby Old Hall - roof area
© Leicestershire County Council
Groby Old Hall Early Brick Buildings_10.jpg
Groby Old Hall - truss detail
© Leicestershire County Council
Groby Old Hall Early Brick Buildings_11.jpg
Groby Old Hall - roof truss, reduced principal
© Leicestershire County Council
Groby Old Hall Early Brick Buildings_12.jpg
Groby Old Hall - stone mullion window, 2nd floor
© Leicestershire County Council
Groby Old Hall Early Brick Buildings_13.jpg
Groby Old Hall
© Leicestershire County Council
Groby Old Hall Early Brick Buildings_14.jpg
Groby Old Hall - truss
© Leicestershire County Council
Groby Old Hall Early Brick Buildings_15.jpg
Groby Old Hall stone infill panels to box frame
© Leicestershire County Council
Groby Old Hall Early Brick Buildings_16.jpg
Groby Old Hall - south-east elevation, plaster floor section and joists
© Leicestershire County Council
Groby Old Hall Early Brick Buildings_17.jpg
Groby Manor House - rear elevation
© Leicestershire County Council
Groby Old Hall Early Brick Buildings_18.jpg
Groby Manor House tower (now dovecote)
© Leicestershire County Council
Groby Old Hall Early Brick Buildings_19.jpg
Groby Old Hall - slate infill to timber frame
© Leicestershire County Council
RFH EWK HINCKLEY Groby Old Hall.jpg
RFH earthworks book - Nichols drawings of Groby Old Hall
© Leicestershire County Council