Cliburn Hall

Description

The Hall was probably begun circa 1387, when the pele tower was built, and later there were mid C16 alterations and additions. A small square tower was added circa 1450 and contains what was the well of the Hall. The battlement of the pele tower were removed and the tower gabled over circa 1872. The Hall was completely modernised with pebble dashed walls, new windows and a roof. (PastScape)

Cliburn Hall, house and outbuildings, 150 yards E.N.E. of the church. The House is of three storeys; the walls are of local rubble and ashlar and the roofs are slate-covered. The house was built or re-built by Richard Cliburn in 1567, but the thickness of some of the walls may indicate that portions of an earlier building were incorporated. At the N.W. end is a rather later extension with a two-storeyed wing extending towards the S.W. The house was re-roofed in the 19th century when the former parapet was removed; other alterations have been made in recent years. The S.W. front has a projecting two-storeyed wing, probably a porch-wing; the upper storey projects slightly on continuous corbelling; the former mullioned and transomed windows have been replaced by modern work in recent years. The former doorway in the N.W. return-wall is blocked. The main block has a doorway at the first-floor level, approached by steps; it has a square head and above it is a re-set panel inscribed "Rychard Cleburn thus they me cawl Wch in my tyme hath bealded ys hall, the yeare of owre lorde God who lyst for to neam (?) 1567— R.D. Mayson"; above the panel are the initials R.C. and a cartouche of the arms of Cliburn quartering Kirkbride. Farther S.E. are two windows each of four transomed and elliptical-headed lights with a moulded label; two other windows have been destroyed by a rebuilding round and above the doorway. The ground floor, approached by steps, has an original window with an iron grate. Both the S.E. end and the back (Plate 18) have a series of original transomed windows similar to those on the S.W. front, and the ground floor has a window with a grate. In the addition, at the first-floor level, is a doorway with a modern head, opening on to a solid stone platform approached by steps and giving access to a well enclosed in a square block of masonry. Inside the building, the ground floor both of the main block and the extension has elliptical barrel-vaults of rubble, groined back over the windows; two doorways have triangular arches in square heads and the large S.E. fireplace has an arched head. On the first floor, the middle beam of the main room or hall rests on shaped corbels; the blocked fireplace has moulded jambs and flat three-centred head; the original doorway, N.E. of the fireplace, has the scratched name John Lowther; another doorway has the names James Lowther, William Lowther and the figures 68. In the N.W. wall of the former hall are two more 16th-century doorways, one with a triangular and one with a three-centred head. The second floor has an original fireplace with a triangular arch in a square head. (RCHME 1936)

Comments

Despite being a historical significant building the Hall does not appear to be recorded in the National Heritage List as a listed building although the PastScape record does appear to suggest that at one point it was grade 2 star listed. Perriam and Robinson state 'Alterations after 1965 caused the loss of Listed Building status.' One can only wonder as what repercussions there were for this damage or how what remains of the important historic building is now protected.