Edwins Hall (EHER 30907)

The remaining part of a much larger late 16th century moated house, said to have been built by Edwin Sandys, Archbishop of York. Summary from record 13594: Moated site (see 13593).

December 1952. Grade II * listed. The remaining part of a much larger late 16th century moated house, said to have been built by Edwin Sandys, Archbishop of York, and here his wife lived after his death. (There is a fine memorial to her in the church of St Mary, see EHER 30911). The house is of red brick with black brick diapering. The original building may have been on the courtyard plan and the portion that remains is the Hall and a small west wing, considerably altered. The main block is of three storeys with a later parapet, the front has three mullioned and transomed windows on the second storey, a two-storey bay window and a window of three lights. All the windows have stone mullions and transoms. On the east side of the west wing and obscuring part of the main block is a two-storeyed porch with original stone four-centred outer archway with sunk spandrels. The wing has a small gable on the south side and a modern copy of the two-storeyed bay of the main block. A small wing extends further west. There are other original mullioned windows. The roofs are tiled, with an original chimney stack at the rear with a row of five shafts, the middle one set diagonally. The interior has some original panelling, a panelled overmantel and some original stone fireplaces. Most of the moat remains and there are parts of an outer moat (see EHER 13593). <1> See photo <2>. July 1962. Field survey. Edward's Hall (formerly Edwin's Hall), a large 16th century mansion, with moats as described above, in good condition. The inner moat is waterfilled; of the outer moat, only the east arm and part of the south arm are wet. The present owner stated that the house was known as Edward's Hall until as late as 1807, and all pre-O.S. maps show it by that name. He added that he has uncovered foundations of west and east wings to the house, the latter a half-timbered structure. He believes the house to date from about 1570. See general photographs. AO/62/223/7 House from south-east; AO/62/223/8 House from south-west. Published survey (O.S.25" 1922) revised. <3> 1979. Watching brief. Post-holes for a new fence along the south side of the trapezoidal moated enclosure revealed a gravel spread 9m wide, containing Tudor brick fragments. This gravel seemed to be the remains of a driveway leading directly up to the existing house. A new foot-bridge on the south side of the rectangular moat revealed the condition of this driveway. <4> April 2014. Geophysical survey. The survey indicated the likelihood of a wall running north-south and a further wall that appeared to run the entire length of the 20m grid, from the south-east corner of the hall, parallel to the southern elevation, to within a metre of the moat. The clearest results were closest to the hall, suggesting either more robbing out of foundations towards the moat, or a less significant wall at that point. There was no indication of a return wall. <5> June-October 2014. Archaeological excavation. Excavations by MAHG revealed parts of the foundations of the demolished east wing of the hall. <5> Moated site (see EHER 13593). Late 16th century house, three-storied, said to have been built by Edwin Sandys, Archbishop of York. The RCHM considers it was originally a central hall with cross wings but the east cross wing has been destroyed. <6> <7> Reaney gives various spellings including 'Edward(e)s (hall)' 1489, around 1500, 1521; also 'Edwinhall' 1715. He derives 'Edwardes' from Edward de Wodeham (1347). According to tradition the name is derived from Edwin Sandys, Archbishop of York (1577-88). <8> <9> This source traces the descent of the manor, concluding 'The position is rather curious. We have traced the manor as belonging to the relatives of Edwin's first wife but there is no definite evidence of ownership by him'. <10> Edwin's Hall [T.I.] Moat [G.T.]. <11> Original HER entry merged with NRHE data import.