Historic England research records

Historic England Research Records

Hall Farm
Hob Uid: 342136
Location : Leicestershire Harborough Knaptoft
Grid Ref : SP6269089580
Summary : A House built 1931, in proximity to the site of a Late Medieval and Post Medieval Manor House (built 1525-1530 with later additions) and the sites of a possible Georgian period house and Victorian farmhouse. The area occupied by the present modern house may overlap slightly with the south-east corner of the former manor site. Extant farm buildings incorporate elements of a range of a 16th courtyard house phase of the manor complex. Surviving architectural details are thought to include mullioned windows, carved stonework and brickwork. It is thought that the base of a round tower, which was illustrated between the 1790s and 1805 by the antiquarian Nichols, still remains. There is a tradition alleging that that the manor/ Hall was burnt by parliamentary troops in 1645 during the English Civil War. By 1805 the old buildings were noted as being ruinous. The same documentary evidence suggests that a house may have been built in the years prior to 1805 by the tennant of that time. A farmhouse was also built here in 1843: this was demolished in 1930 and replaced by the modern house in 1931.
More information : [SP 6269 8958] The Hall on site of Manor House [GT] (1) Nichols (a) says that the old Hall house at Knaptoft which had a circular tower or bastion of brick and stone, was probably built by John Turpin in the reign of Henry VII, and enlarged, or at least embellished by Sir William Turpin, temp. Elizabeth or James I. There is mention in 1530 of a capital message at Knaptoft. It was seen by Nichols in 1792, when it was falling to ruin, and in 1805, when only a small part remained. Nichols' illustration [AO/60/137/2] shows the old Hall before it became ruinous. He refers to Mr. Wilson, the comtemporary tenant (c.1807) who had built a modern dwelling on the site of the old mansion. (b.) V.C.H. mentions a fragment of an ancient camp [see SP 68NW 5] incorporated in the manorial defences but these do not appear to surround the manor house. (2) The original Hall, by the church at Knaptoft, was built between 1525-30. It was dilapidated in 1791. The first farmhouse was built in 1843 and the present farm-house in 1931. In the farm-buildings are some mullioned windows and an old doorway. Panelling from the Hall is in Mowsley Church. (3) As indicated by Authy 3, the large house on this site was demolished c.1930 and replaced by a small brick house, known as Hall Farm (c) and dated 1931. A number of fragments of worked and moulded stone in the garden are believed to have come from the earlier house. The farm-buildings at SP 6267 8958 contain an L-plan range of buildings of 16th C.date in thin 'Tudor' brick with mullioned and transomed windows and a double-arched gateway with four-centred arches. This range probably formed part of a courtyard house. See GPs:AO/60/115/8 - Arhway from the north; AO/60/116/1 - Building from the south-west. (4) The area occupied by the present modern house is not thought to directly overly the main site of the old manor hall- it may overlap slightly with the south-east corner of the former manor site. Extant Surviving architectural details in extant buildings now used as farm buildings are thought to include mullioned windows, carved stonework and brickwork. It is thought that the base of a round tower, which was illustrated by the antiquarian Nichols still remains. (5) There is a tradition that the old Hall was burned by parliamentary troops in 1645 during the English Civil War. (6)

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Source Number : 1
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Source details : OS 6" 1902-50.
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Source Number : 2a
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Source details : Hist. & Ants. of Leic. vol. 4 pt.1 1807, pp.217- 220-1. (J. Nichols)
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Source Number : 2b
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Source details : VCH Leic. Vol. 1 1907. p.273 (J.C. Wall)
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Source Number : 3
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Source details : The Lost Village of Knaptoft c.1958, unpag. (J.G. Cooke)
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Source Number : 4
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Source details : F1 WW 23-JUN-60
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Source Number : 4c
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Source details : Oral: Mr. E. J. Hughes, Foreman, Hall Farm.
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Source Number : 9
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Source details : Leicestershire and Rutland SMR record MLE 1818
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Related Records from other datasets:

External Cross Reference Source : SMR Number (Leicestershire)
External Cross Reference Number : MLE1818
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External Cross Reference Source : National Monuments Record Number
External Cross Reference Number : SP 68 NW 16
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Related Warden Records :

Associated Monuments :
Relationship type : General association

Associated Monuments :
Relationship type : Is referred to by

Related Activities :

Associated Activities :
Activity type : FIELD OBSERVATION (VISUAL ASSESSMENT)
Start Date : 1960-06-23
End Date : 1960-06-23

Associated Activities :
Activity type : EVALUATION
Start Date : 2011-01-01
End Date : 2011-12-31