Netherwood Hall

Description

Centred SE 398040 MOAT (Track of) Shown as a pecked outline surrounding Netherwood Hall on three sides, the southern side being bounded by the River Dove (OS 6" 1849).
MOAT Shown extant from SE 39710422 to SE 39790420 (OS 6" 1929-48).
The track of the former moat is now covered by marshy ground and could not be accurately defined. Netherwood Hall, now a miner's social club, appears from the exterior to be of-mid 18th c. date. (F1 ECW 04-AUG-60). (PastScape)

Low-lying site N Wombwell, below slope near crest which is NEW HALL. Industrial spoil and ponds in an area now being landscape surround and mask slight moat traces. (Sneyd 1995)

The now demolished Netherwood Hall near Darfield, Barnsley stood close to the River Dove, on the site of the former manor house of Woodhall which can be traced back to at least the 15th century. Netherwood was a Georgian building but probably included remnants of the former manor house.
The fifteenth century saw Woodhall Manor occupied by the Drax and Bosville families. By a settlement charter of December 1420 John and Margaret Drax are granted the rights of the manor from John Bosville and his eldest son William. John Bosville had inherited the manor, together with Ardsley, probably on his first marriage to Mary Drax. John was descended from Martin de Bosville who arrived from Normandy in the 11th century. The Drax family continued to occupy Woodhall until the early 17th century.
In 1516 there was reported in the Court of the Star Chamber at Westminster the 'siege of Woodhall Manor' involving Thomas Drax, a priest. In 1601 the Darfield parish register records the burial of Thomas Drax of Netherwood Hall, esquire. It seems that the names Netherwood and Woodhall are interchangeable from this time although this is the first mention of the new name.
In 1603 a Ralphe Woodcock occupied 'Nether Woodhall', but by 1605 the Bosville family were once again in residence. The manor then passed to the Taylor family in the late 17th century, and the 18th century saw a succession of different families mentioned in the Darfield parish register, including Foulstone, Battie, Walker, Morley, and Rock. (www.lesthorntons.co.uk)

Comments

The C18 hall and the medieval moat are both gone and were slight before the area was landscaped. It seems unlikely the moat and the medieval house were fortified in a meaningful sense.