Sutton-in-Craven Village Website

Village Web Site Forum

From	Subject/message
Sherby Sutton-in-Craven Wednesday, May 6, 2009 02:27	Sutton Hall Just wanted to say that the pictures of the late Sutton Hall and the Lodges recently added to the Gallery section of this website are fantastic! What a pity that the Hall was demolished. I have been collecting old photos of the village to hang around the house. These will definitely be added to my collection! Many thanks ................. and keep posting photos!!
Yvonne Sutton Thursday, May 7, 2009 21:11	Hi, I loved the recent photo's of Sutton Hall - please can anyone tell me where abouts it was and what became of it. Thanks!
Sherby Sutton-in-Craven Friday, May 8, 2009 01:01	Hi Yvonne, The hall was where the clough now is. All that remain are the main entrance (i.e. the archway and lodges on Hall Drive) and the stables and old servants' quarters off West Lane. Not sure of the exact date the Hall was demolished, but obviously it happened before "Listing Status" was introduced in the 1950's to preserve buildings of architectural importance. All of the houses on the Hall estate now occupy the land of old Sutton Hall. The late and great Doris Riley did tell me the whole story several years ago, but my tea strainer of a brain has forgotten much of the detail!
Camille Sutton-in-Craven Friday, May 8, 2009 08:22	Doris once told me that when the the Hall was demolished and the estate built the gates from the entrance to Sutton Hall were taken off and are now at the entrance to Cliffe Castle. If you look at them now you might think they look a bit small for that gateway, and they would be a better fit at the gatehouse in Sutton.
Paul Wilkinson webmaster Friday, May 8, 2009 09:48	Hi Yvonne Below is a section from a 1938 map showing the location of Sutton Hall. The map shows the top of High Street at the top and has West Lane down the left hand side and the Ellers down the right hand side and Sutton Hall near the bottom. You can see the lodges/gateway near the top and follow the path along Hall Drive, over the Dog Bridge and into the Clough. Shortly after entering the Clough, there's a path off to the right over a bridge - this is the path to where the Hall used to be. I've marked the current Clough area in blue. Sutton Hall was built c1894 and demolished after less than 50 years.
Sherby Sutton-in-Craven Friday, May 8, 2009 15:40	Brilliant map! I shall endeavour to explore for any remains of Sutton Hall next time I'm in the clough!
Alan Friday, May 8, 2009 17:21	With regards to Sutton Hall, I remember as a very young lad playing in the grounds of the Hall just after the war. The Hall had been demolished before then and there were only the foundations and one or two odd stones left in place. There used to be an entrance, no doubt for the traders use, directly off West Lane at the end of the houses just before the road starts to rise upwards. Is this still in existence or has that been fenced off? It is a while since I went past. This was my starting point for my stretch of the run to carry the torch up to the bonfire on Coronation Day. Thank you Mr. Hartley-Williams for supplying the photos of the hall and gateway. I have one of the gateway taken recently but the impact is not the same due to motor cars and "For Sale " signs.
Josie Friday, May 8, 2009 22:25	Have checked for some details for Sutton Hall and have found the following It was built in 1894 and demolished in 1940.
Yvonne Sutton Saturday, May 9, 2009 22:00	Thanks - I love the history that our village has and could never live in a town : )
Andrew Monkhouse Sunday, May 10, 2009 10:59	It seems almost implausible that a magnificent and majestic looking mansion like Sutton Hall could be built and subsequently demolished all in the space of a mere 46 years. What the hell happened? Did nobody want to live there? This has to be one of the most baffling occurrences in the chronicles of Sutton�s long history.
Sherby Sutton-in-Craven Sunday, May 10, 2009 15:06	I am also intrigued as to the reason for it's demise. Is there anyone wise enough (or old enough!) in the village to tell us why Sutton Hall was demolished?
Denis Pickles Sunday, May 10, 2009 18:15	I'm old enough to remember having played in the ruins of Sutton Hall. It's a long time ago now but it would be in the early 40's. The Hall had been demolished and the dressed stone taken away but the walls of sub ground floor area [cellars] were still intact. I remember clearly that the walls were faced in white tiles and the steps were stone. It was a great place for hide and seek. I have no knowledge as to why the place was pulled down, but mill bosses were not raking in as much brass as they did in the late Victorian age. The 20's and 30's were economically bad times - General Strike, The country had been through a disasterous war, we owed money to the Americans, we'd loaned money to the Russians. They had a revolution and the new government thought that usuary was theft from workers by capitalist banks and declined to pay anything back! Exports slumped, the great crash of 1929 further messed up the incomes of the landed gentry. The areas most badly hit were those with the old industries, shipbuilding, mining and textiles etc - I should imagine that the owners of Sutton Hall could no longer afford to live there. But well as the cost of maintenance and employing an army of servants there was probably another reason! I'll bet the place was riddled with dry rot. It'll be interesting to see if real facts emerge from this debate.
Josie Sunday, May 10, 2009 19:20	Peter Hartley originally founded Greenroyd Mill in 1830, then on his death his son John took over until his death in 1848, then brother William ran the mill until his death in 1883 when his son John William took over, this John William built Sutton Hall and he never married. On his death in 1909 the estate and mill was left to a cousin Miss E Hartley who because of depression and unemployment, sold off the mill in 1911 and the rest of the property in 1933 to a Keighley Builder called Mr E Turner. He turned the Hall into 5 seperate dwellings but in 1940 it was demolished and he then built the estate where the Hall once stood.
Paul Wilkinson webmaster Sunday, May 10, 2009 20:53	I've added a new page to the gallery containing some more old photos of Sutton Hall from Dr John Laycock's archive. I remember Doris Riley telling me that she played on the steps in front of the Hall when she was a girl.
Sherby Sutton-in-Craven Monday, May 11, 2009 07:48	So the demise of Sutton Hall was done to make way for new housing. Pity we didn't have the NODISC campaign running back then ,-) P.S. Great new photos of the Hall Webmaster. Thanks
Paul Wilkinson webmaster Monday, May 11, 2009 07:58	Hi Sherby. I think the demise was more likely due to family circumstances. If John William Hartley had married and had children things might have been different. It's John William we have to thank for Sutton Park, he bequeathed the land to the villagers in his will and left money for the creation of the park.
Sherby Sutton-in-Craven Monday, May 11, 2009 10:53	Thank you John William Hartley, your bequest is much appreciated.
TONY & HAZEL. Tuesday, May 12, 2009 18:16	dear all some of the stone from the HALL was used to buildthe frontage of the offices at LANDIS LUNDS on the main road in EASTBURN. Thanks for the new photos. T & H.
anne matthews Tuesday, May 12, 2009 18:58	The site were SUTTON HALL stood has no estate but just one dwelling on it.The stone from the hall went to build Landis Lunds at Eastburn.At the front of the hall was a lake and tennis courts.This site also has a dwelling on. [As a child living in the Ellers we went there to collect raspberries] The road from west lane to the clough runs inbetween these two sites. the Stables as mentioned was converted to living accomodation by Turners builders in 1934. Mr and Mrs Jim Squires bought the house off Turners. Mr squires bought an inner door out of the hall from Turners it is oak with emblems and JWH initials , Mr Squires paid 7 shillings and 6 pence and its still in use today.Turners builders bought all the estate built the semi detached houses in West Lane and Hall Way all this land being Sutton Hall Estate the builders gave the clough to the council
VCS Wednesday, May 13, 2009 01:31	7 shillings and 6 pence. I love that! You've got a good memory Anne! Does anyone know what happened to the castleations around the tops of the turrets next to the archway? The photos in the gallery section show them in place in 1955 but they have disappeared in the 2007 photo.
Paul Wilkinson webmaster Wednesday, May 13, 2009 08:29	I've wondered about that too - they probably became unsafe, along with the tall chimney pots. On another note, does anybody know what became of the carved stone dogs that were on the plinths at Dog Bridge?
anne matthews Wednesday, May 13, 2009 17:54	Just putting the record straight re the 7 shilling and 6 pence oak door from Sutton Hall this information came from Mr Jim Squires son, my memory doesnt go that far back
Sherby Sutton-in-Craven Wednesday, May 13, 2009 19:57	I wonder if the turret castleations were ever used in another building like the stone from Sutton Hall being used for Landis Lunds. I can't help thinking what a sad loss the demolition of the Hall was though. Just think, it could now be the Sutton Museum or hired out for events to provide money for the parish council. Oh well ....... best not to dwell on the past!
VCS Wednesday, May 13, 2009 22:41	I think the lodges are lovely houses which are full of history. I'm just pleased that the builder responsible for demolishing the hall, didn't demolish the lodges as well!
Janet Hargreaves Harrogate Sunday, May 17, 2009 12:16	I love the Lodges and remember well when the prize winning Dahlias used to be cultivated in the gardens. I also remember some of the the huge stones from the Hall still being on the site in the 50s and 60s but most of the site was 'out of bounds'. I don't know if it jogs anyones memory but in the 1901 Census John Wm Hartleys' occupation is shown as a Worsted Spinner and living at Sutton Hall. My great aunt Florence Yeardley was a housemaid at the Hall at that time. By the 1911 census she was shown as being married to my great uncle Alfred and they were living at Sutton Hall (House). He is recorded as the head of the household and a Book keeper at the Mill. Alfred was the father of Percy Hargreaves who died in the war and the family including Percys' five brothers and sisters were all living at Sutton House(hall) in 1911. From my family history information I believe that at that time the hall had been split into three houses . I don't know if anyone can confirm this but it may have been that the builder who went bankcrupt and from whom my ancestors bought Raspberry Place may have been involved in the demise of the Hall? The two addresses have Hargreaves family connections e.g. Florence was one of the Hargreaves who was living at Raspberry Place for some part of her life. Josie states there were 5 houses the reason from the variance between my 3 and her 5 may be that the 5 probably including the gatehouses and the dwelling at the other end of the 'estate' or it was further divided at some time?
Nikki Sutton Friday, May 22, 2009 17:25	Really enjoyed reading all the info on the Hall, as for the stone work (if I can brag) My Great Grandfarther was the Stone Mason on the build of the Hall - Harrison Barrett, he was also responsible for carving the Dog Bridge too, when I was a little girl I always played in the Clough and was told that the bridge collapsed into the beck? As far as I know too, the wall at the front of the 'Butterfly' house on Holme lane is from some of the original stonework form the Hall?
David Laycock Monday, May 25, 2009 05:03	Janet Just a little diversion:- If I remember correctly one of your relatives was pretty good at growing prize winning dahlias or was it chrysanthemums? As an added note re the hall, in the late 50's/ early 60's we used to take a wind up gramaphone player and have rock and roll sessions in front of the hall usually on Sunday arvo's.
Janet Hargreaves Harrogate Monday, May 25, 2009 08:01	Hi David. Unfortunately it wasn't our family that were good with the flowers. I can't remember the name of the people who did grow them, but they were exquisite. I will try to find out who it was.
Josie Wednesday, May 27, 2009 17:06	Hi everybody, found out some more info on the HALL, my ex neighbour Peggy used to live there, she was saying it was made into 6 houses, her family lived at no 12, if you check out the photo of the hall from left to right, there is a downstairs bay style window at each end, that was a parlour, with a kitchen behind and upstairs with the one window above the bay were 4 bedrooms going backwards and a bathroom. Her bedroom used to be John William's library and all the lower oak woodwork cupboards were intact, but the shelving above them had been taken away. Access to number 12 was by a door round the corner on the left hand side. The family then moved into number 10, this was the one with 2 windows above and below to the left of the main door entrance, access to this was by a door built at the back of the house. She can rememeber being in awe at the grandeur of the building, it was just like a palace, with oak panelling everywhere, and to a child would seem like paradise to live in, one of her neighbours who she used to play with had rooms that included one that looked like a ballroom with a beautiful wooden floor. She thinks it was 1935 when the family moved in, and they were given 1 months eviction notice to leave about 1942?, but the Hall was not pulled down straight away, and I would imagine with the war taking place, the builder would not be able to demolish and rebuild the houses he wanted until the war finished with money being a bit tight. In fact if I remember my history, didn't the government give money and permission after the war for a major build of houses all over the country because of mass housing shortages. She can recall a Mr & Mrs Reeves living next door, and at the opposite end of the hall lived an Irish family with a lots of children.
Sherby Sutton-in-Craven Wednesday, May 27, 2009 18:39	Thanks for that detailed description of Sutton Hall's interior layout Josie. Does anyone have any old photos of the inside of the hall? It would be great to see what it looked like.
David Laycock Thursday, May 28, 2009 13:30	Hi Janet, You know what, I'm thinking of Hardacres, Arthur who lived on Low Fold. Are you related to Laurie and brother Bruce Hargreaves? or Crosshills ones?
Janet Hargreaves Harrogate Friday, May 29, 2009 07:45	Hi David I used to play at the Hardacres as I went to school with Sheila Hardacre. I lived on Sutton Tops.
David Laycock Friday, May 29, 2009 13:07	Janet, Was Sheila David Hardacre's younger sister?
Janet Hargreaves Harrogate Friday, May 29, 2009 17:18	Yes Sheila was Davids kid sis
Paul Wilkinson webmaster Tuesday, June 2, 2009 08:51	Sherby - Josie Walsh has kindly sent me a scan of a couple of photos taken inside Sutton Hall. I've added them to the page in the gallery.
Sherby Sutton-in-Craven Wednesday, June 3, 2009 12:20	Thanks Webmaster. WOW! It was as beautiful inside as it was outside. It makes me feel even more melancholy about the Hall's demise.......

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