History Whitley Hall

1 history

1.1 mary, queen of scots connection
1.2 boys boarding school
1.3 conversion restaurant , hotel

history

present day whitley hall dates 1580s, dwelling present on site prior this. dwelling, known launder house first recorded in deed of 1406 when transferred john cartwright william robinson. launder house known launderhouse, lownderhouse , loundhouse on years, in 1487 passed hands of thomas parker held property in copyhold lord of manor of sheffield in return ploughing , harvesting land. arrival of parkers @ launder house signalled start of 135-year association site on 6 generations.

it grandson of thomas parker, known thomas commenced extensive rebuilding in mid part of 16th century turned launder house whitley hall. thomas’ son william believed have finished rebuilding carving on 1 of new doors reads,”willm parker : made worke 1584”. in 1622 thomas shiercliffe became owner of whitley hall estate beside hall included corn mill, dovecote, smelting house, 8 fields, 2 acres of woodland , 4 cottages. hall remained property of shiercliffe family until part of 19th century.

mary, queen of scots connection

a local legend states mary, queen of scots, spent night @ whitley hall in 1580s while in captivity @ sheffield castle. rumour first reported jonathan eastwood in history of ecclesfield of 1862. however, there no documentary evidence claim.

boys boarding school

around year 1790 hall leased out shiercliffes john rider turned boys boarding school. school thought have housed approximately 45 pupils famous pupil being railway engineer sir john fowler travelled nearby wadsley attend between 1826 , 1833. fowler noted of time @ whitley hall later in life: “i quick in elementary scholarship, , in mental arithmetic decidedly beyond average of boys , men gift of great convenience , value in after life.”

the exact time hall remained school not known 1841 lived in william charlesworth leased bingley family had become owners in 1816. bingleys family moved hall , lived there until 1939 when taken on army @ start of second world war officers , servants being billeted in hall , other ranks using stable block , nissen huts in grounds.

conversion restaurant , hotel

the hall owned hugh bingley until death in 1962, although never lived there after war owned substantial properties in cambridgeshire , hall let out tenants. in 1962 hall bought john i. fearn, head of local firm of agricultural engineers. mr. fearn carried out considerable renovation , refurbishment on period of 7 years , whitley hall opened restaurant in july 1969.

in late 1970s hall became hotel, 3 bedrooms. however, considerable extension work has been carried out on years , hotel has 32 en-suite bedrooms. extensive gardens have 2 small lakes. in may 1995, whitley hall granted licence carry out civil wedding services, first location in south yorkshire become licensed. hotel offers 6 conference , meeting rooms. restaurant, open non-residents, still important part of business.