Burntwood Hall
Encyclopedia
Burntwood Hall is a house that lies near the village of Great Houghton, South Yorkshire
, England
and has been known as Boomshack and Burntwood Nook/Lodge over the centuries.
which was bought around 1700 William Marsden Esq, a highly influential Barnsley
attorney
and Steward to the 1st Duke of Leeds
. He had the house altered to be more suitable for the residence of a gentleman
. William Marsden died in 1718 apparently worth £30,000 he left his estates to be divided in certain proportions amongst his children. His son William, succeeded him as attorney of Barnsley and Royal Surveyor of the Woods north of the River Trent
to King George III. He too, was a man of great influence, and was a good deal mixed up in the affairs of the town and district.
His Grandson, Captain Francis Marsden – West Yorkshire Militia/5th Regiment of Foot served as a British officer in the early years of the American Revolution
. Arriving in Boston
in 1774 from Monkstown
, Ireland
he was initially in command of the Grenadier Company in which he served with Lieutenant Lord Francis Rawdon. He probably participated in the battles of Lexington and Concord
but at this time the Grenadier Company was commanded by Captain George Harris (later Baron Harris
). The overall command of the regiment at this time fell to Colonel Lord Hugh Percy, later 2nd Duke of Northumberland
.
He died at Burntwood Hall aged 26 in 1780 from wounds received five years before at the Battle of Bunker Hill
in 1775. He was buried at Wakefield Cathedral
, although his grave has since moved there still stands a wall monument in his memory inside the Cathedral. His sister, Hannah who paid for the monument was married to a John Carr of Horbury, who was an uncle to the famous architect, John Carr.
The Marsden family held the Lord of the Manor
of nearby Bolton on Dearne
with Goldthorpe
and benefited from the 1761-1767 Inclosure Awards, gaining further land from several of the village commons (Carr, Bolton on Dearne and Goldthorpe among others). The family continued to live mostly in Burntwood, though they had several smaller estates including Newhall, and Kettlethorpe Hall for 150 years. The last being William Henry Marsden, the son of Dr John Marsden who was Vicar of Felkirk and Chaplain to Dr Robert Hay Drummond
the Archbishop of York
, died at Burntwood in 1815.
Burntwood was then bought by Mr. S. H. Taylor who lived here for around 60 years before selling the estate to the local Dymond family, whom continued to live here until 1979. The Hall was then used for several years as offices for a bus company.
Today Burntwood Hall is a nursing home
for the elderly and the kitchen garden is now a centre for the disabled.
and Gothic revival architecture and on the south side there is a porch supported by doric columns
The grounds originally incorporated both an entrance lodge on the south entrance (though this became neglected and was later demolished) and a stable block (now converted and used as staff accommodation). In 2003 some of the garden ornaments, including the sundial were stolen.
It has the only 'secret' tunnel in the area that can be authenticated, running for thirty yards (27 m) under the road to the kitchen gardens. West Haigh Wood and Howell Wood (now a country park) were landscaped as the grounds of the hall and as a game reserve, as was the open space of the old Burntwood. It is possible that there was once a hunting lodge located within Howell Woods though any visible trace of this is long gone.
Artificial lakes were set in Howell Wood and West Haigh Wood, the one in Howell Wood being the only one surviving today and used as a fishing lake. Next to the lake in Howell Woods remains the 18th century ice house, which is now home to various forms of wildlife.
Howell Wood Country Park is managed by the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster
.
Great Houghton, South Yorkshire
Great Houghton is a village and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley in South Yorkshire, England), on the border with West Yorkshire. It lies to the west of Thurnscoe, on the B6411 road, and is located at approximately 53° 33' 20" North, 1° 21' West, at an elevation of around 60...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and has been known as Boomshack and Burntwood Nook/Lodge over the centuries.
History
Originally a modest farmhouseFarmhouse
Farmhouse is a general term for the main house of a farm. It is a type of building or house which serves a residential purpose in a rural or agricultural setting. Most often, the surrounding environment will be a farm. Many farm houses are shaped like a T...
which was bought around 1700 William Marsden Esq, a highly influential Barnsley
Barnsley
Barnsley is a town in South Yorkshire, England. It lies on the River Dearne, north of the city of Sheffield, south of Leeds and west of Doncaster. Barnsley is surrounded by several smaller settlements which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley, of which Barnsley is the largest and...
attorney
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and Steward to the 1st Duke of Leeds
Thomas Osborne, 1st Duke of Leeds
Thomas Osborne, 1st Duke of Leeds, KG , English statesman , served in a variety of offices under Kings Charles II and William III of England.-Early life, 1632–1674:The son of Sir Edward Osborne, Bart., of Kiveton, Yorkshire, Thomas Osborne...
. He had the house altered to be more suitable for the residence of a gentleman
Gentleman
The term gentleman , in its original and strict signification, denoted a well-educated man of good family and distinction, analogous to the Latin generosus...
. William Marsden died in 1718 apparently worth £30,000 he left his estates to be divided in certain proportions amongst his children. His son William, succeeded him as attorney of Barnsley and Royal Surveyor of the Woods north of the River Trent
River Trent
The River Trent is one of the major rivers of England. Its source is in Staffordshire on the southern edge of Biddulph Moor. It flows through the Midlands until it joins the River Ouse at Trent Falls to form the Humber Estuary, which empties into the North Sea below Hull and Immingham.The Trent...
to King George III. He too, was a man of great influence, and was a good deal mixed up in the affairs of the town and district.
His Grandson, Captain Francis Marsden – West Yorkshire Militia/5th Regiment of Foot served as a British officer in the early years of the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
. Arriving in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
in 1774 from Monkstown
Monkstown
Monkstown is a placename shared by more than one area in Ireland:*Monkstown, County Cork, a town in County Cork.*Monkstown, County Dublin, a town or suburb on the outskirts of Dublin city in County Dublin....
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
he was initially in command of the Grenadier Company in which he served with Lieutenant Lord Francis Rawdon. He probably participated in the battles of Lexington and Concord
Battles of Lexington and Concord
The Battles of Lexington and Concord were the first military engagements of the American Revolutionary War. They were fought on April 19, 1775, in Middlesex County, Province of Massachusetts Bay, within the towns of Lexington, Concord, Lincoln, Menotomy , and Cambridge, near Boston...
but at this time the Grenadier Company was commanded by Captain George Harris (later Baron Harris
Baron Harris
Baron Harris, of Seringapatam and Mysore in the East Indies and of Belmont in the County of Kent, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1815 for the military commander General Sir George Harris. He gained fame as Commander-in-Chief at the siege and capture of...
). The overall command of the regiment at this time fell to Colonel Lord Hugh Percy, later 2nd Duke of Northumberland
Duke of Northumberland
The Duke of Northumberland is a title in the peerage of Great Britain that has been created several times. Since the third creation in 1766, the title has belonged to the House of Percy , which held the title of Earl of Northumberland from 1377....
.
He died at Burntwood Hall aged 26 in 1780 from wounds received five years before at the Battle of Bunker Hill
Battle of Bunker Hill
The Battle of Bunker Hill took place on June 17, 1775, mostly on and around Breed's Hill, during the Siege of Boston early in the American Revolutionary War...
in 1775. He was buried at Wakefield Cathedral
Wakefield Cathedral
Wakefield Cathedral, formally the Cathedral Church of All Saints Wakefield is the cathedral for the Church of England's Diocese of Wakefield and is the seat of the Bishop of Wakefield. The cathedral has Anglo Saxon origins and the tallest cathedral spire in Yorkshire...
, although his grave has since moved there still stands a wall monument in his memory inside the Cathedral. His sister, Hannah who paid for the monument was married to a John Carr of Horbury, who was an uncle to the famous architect, John Carr.
The Marsden family held the Lord of the Manor
Lord of the Manor
The Lordship of a Manor is recognised today in England and Wales as a form of property and one of three elements of a manor that may exist separately or be combined and may be held in moieties...
of nearby Bolton on Dearne
Bolton on Dearne
Bolton upon Dearne is a small village in the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley, South Yorkshire, England, in the part of the Dearne Valley through which the River Dearne passes. It is approximately seven miles east of Barnsley, ten miles west of Doncaster and eight miles north of Rotherham.Bolton...
with Goldthorpe
Goldthorpe
Goldthorpe is a village within the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley, in South Yorkshire, England. Anciently a small medieval farming village, Goldthorpe is recorded in the Domesday Book and was under the Manor of Bolton upon Dearne which was once owned by Roger de Busli.Goldthorpe railway station...
and benefited from the 1761-1767 Inclosure Awards, gaining further land from several of the village commons (Carr, Bolton on Dearne and Goldthorpe among others). The family continued to live mostly in Burntwood, though they had several smaller estates including Newhall, and Kettlethorpe Hall for 150 years. The last being William Henry Marsden, the son of Dr John Marsden who was Vicar of Felkirk and Chaplain to Dr Robert Hay Drummond
Robert Hay Drummond
Robert Hay , known later as Robert Hay-Drummond of Cromlix and Innerpeffray, was Archbishop of York from 1761 to 1776.-Origins and birth:...
the Archbishop of York
Archbishop of York
The Archbishop of York is a high-ranking cleric in the Church of England, second only to the Archbishop of Canterbury. He is the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of York and metropolitan of the Province of York, which covers the northern portion of England as well as the Isle of Man...
, died at Burntwood in 1815.
Burntwood was then bought by Mr. S. H. Taylor who lived here for around 60 years before selling the estate to the local Dymond family, whom continued to live here until 1979. The Hall was then used for several years as offices for a bus company.
Today Burntwood Hall is a nursing home
Nursing home
A nursing home, convalescent home, skilled nursing unit , care home, rest home, or old people's home provides a type of care of residents: it is a place of residence for people who require constant nursing care and have significant deficiencies with activities of daily living...
for the elderly and the kitchen garden is now a centre for the disabled.
Architecture and Grounds
The hall is a mixture of classicalClassical architecture
Classical architecture is a mode of architecture employing vocabulary derived in part from the Greek and Roman architecture of classical antiquity, enriched by classicizing architectural practice in Europe since the Renaissance...
and Gothic revival architecture and on the south side there is a porch supported by doric columns
Doric order
The Doric order was one of the three orders or organizational systems of ancient Greek or classical architecture; the other two canonical orders were the Ionic and the Corinthian.-History:...
The grounds originally incorporated both an entrance lodge on the south entrance (though this became neglected and was later demolished) and a stable block (now converted and used as staff accommodation). In 2003 some of the garden ornaments, including the sundial were stolen.
It has the only 'secret' tunnel in the area that can be authenticated, running for thirty yards (27 m) under the road to the kitchen gardens. West Haigh Wood and Howell Wood (now a country park) were landscaped as the grounds of the hall and as a game reserve, as was the open space of the old Burntwood. It is possible that there was once a hunting lodge located within Howell Woods though any visible trace of this is long gone.
Artificial lakes were set in Howell Wood and West Haigh Wood, the one in Howell Wood being the only one surviving today and used as a fishing lake. Next to the lake in Howell Woods remains the 18th century ice house, which is now home to various forms of wildlife.
Howell Wood Country Park is managed by the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster
Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster
The Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster is a metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire in Yorkshire and the Humber Region of England.In addition to the town of Doncaster, the borough covers Mexborough, Conisbrough, Thorne and Finningley....
.