Todwick Manor

Description

Manor House moated site, Todwick has not been excavated and extensive in situ deposits, including the foundations of successive manorial complexes, are likely to survive undisturbed, making the site of considerable archaeological potential.
Manor House moated site, Todwick, consists of an island, measuring c.100m along the east, west and south sides and c.50m along the north. Surrounding the island is a largely water-filled moat, filled in and partially built over to the west and south-west. This widens from c.15m to c.20m in the north-east corner where it is thought to have included an integral fishpond. In recent years a revetted causeway was discovered across the south arm of the moat but, whilst the causeway is likely to be an original feature, the revetment appears relatively modern. Two wells are associated with the site, one on the island, south-east of the present house, and one in the field east of the monument. Underneath the present house and its garden are the foundations of an old manor house demolished in 1947. These remains in turn overlie those of the medieval manorial complex. (Scheduling Report)

The old manor house which was pulled down in 1945 was unusual in that it was moated. As it was scheduled by that then the Ministry of Works as an ancient earth-work it is apparent that the moat is not a 17th century embellishment of gentleman's house, but the first line of defence for a fortified residence of a much earlier period. It was known to Sir Walter Scott who must have visited it when he stayed at Conisborough and it is the 'Torquilstone Castle' of his novel 'Ivanhoe'. The present house was built for Mr A. C. Staniforth's father by the Duke of Leeds in about 1885 as by that time the old house had become uninhabitable. (Todwick Village websire)

The site appears to have formed an irregular quadrilateral in plan, the north side c.40m, the East side c.80m, the South side c.80m and the West side c.80m. The East side and the East sections of the North and South sides are complete and retain water. The original entrance may have been across the centre of the south arm (a water-filled section west of the apparent causeway is shown on the 1930 O.S. 25":1 mile) has now been infilled and exists only as a slight depression. What appears to be a recent infilling has obscured the NW angle of the site, but a slight depression south of this appears to mark the west arm, although the line of this, and in particular the SW angle, are obscured by modern development.
The present Manor House is an entirely modern building. The old manor house, which stood NE of the present house (i.e. more or less in the centre of the island, as a rectangular block running east-west) is shown as an "antiquity" on older O.S. maps. It was demolished in 1951, and a level lawn now occupies the site.
There seems to be some confusion as to whether this was the site of the original "Todwick Hall", mentioned in 1664 or not. The "Old Hall" at SK496848 is a 17th century building. The proximity of the Manor House site to the church suggests that this may be the earlier of the two sites. No other documentary references traced. (Le Patourel 1973)