Elmswell Old Hall
17th-century manor house
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Elmswell Old Hall is a Grade-II* listed 17th-century manor house in the hamlet of Elmswell in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England.
| Elmswell Old Hall | |
|---|---|
Elmswell Old Hall in 1997. | |
 Interactive map of the Elmswell Old Hall area | |
| General information | |
| Type | Manor house |
| Location | Elmswell, East Riding of Yorkshire |
| Completed | c. 1634–1635 |
Listed Building – Grade II* | |
| Official name | Elmswell Old Hall |
| Designated | 22 September 1966 |
| Reference no. | 1083792 |
History
The land on which the hall stands was once part of the larger Elmswell Estate, which is mentioned in the Doomsday Book.[1][2] Henry Best, a gentleman farmer and writer whose work documented contemporary rural and agricultural life, bought the land in 1597 for £2000, building the hall in c.1634–1635.[3] Best writes of the hall throughout his works.[4] Best sold the property to his brother, James, through whose family it passed until the 1840s.[3][5] Mary Ellen Best painted a watercolour of the hall's kitchen in 1834, which is now held by the Victoria and Albert Museum.[6] The property had several owners in the 19th- and 20th-centuries.[3]
The final occupants, the Mackrill family, undertook remedial works to the hall, leaving in 1965.[7][5] Following the Mackrill's departure, the hall fell into a state of disrepair. In the 1970s, the roof collapsed, leaving the interior exposed. As of 2026, the property is in private ownership and opens once a year to visitors under an agreement with East Riding Council.[1][5]
Architecture
Elmswell Old Hall was built in either 1634 or 1635 of red brick, with additions made in the 18th- and 19th-centuries.[4][1] It is thought to be one of the first brick buildings in East Yorkshire.[1] Over the main entrance door is a medieval carved stone head of a man.[8] Prior to the collapse of the roof, the interior is documented by a 1966 Historic England report as having "[17th-century] panelling to some rooms". The hall was designated as a Grade-II* listed building on 20 September 1966 and is given as being "of outstanding significance for its historical associations with Henry Best".[4]