Onesacre Hall
Encyclopedia
Onesacre Hall is a Grade II* Listed building situated in the rural outskirts of the City of Sheffield
in South Yorkshire
, England. The hall is located on Green Lane in the small hamlet of Onesacre in the suburb
of Oughtibridge
, 8.5 km north west of the city centre.
of 1086 and before that was part of the estate of the Saxon Lord, Godric. In the Domesday Book the hamlet is spelt Anesacre meaning “The Field of An” and comes from the Old Norse
language. Onesacre was originally created as a forest clearing on high ground above the Don valley by Norwegian settlers. After the Norman Conquest
the Onesacre lands were owned by the Le Rous family who were probably of Norman descent. Around 1380 the lands passed to the Stead family when Alice Le Rous, the sole heiress married John Stead of Wentworth
.
The Steads were to become substantial landowners throughout South Yorkshire and owned the Onesacre estate for over 400 years until the year 1794, they were also connected to the nearby Hillsborough House
and Burrowlee House
. It was Nicholas Stead (1583-1639) and his son Thomas (1619-86) who instigated the building of the gabled
and mullioned
Onesacre Hall using the master mason John Hawley of nearby Thorn House Farm to construct the hall. The building was done in two phases the first being 1630 -1640 and the second between 1660 -1670. In 1672 the Steads were taxed on six hearths at the hall. After the Steads left Onesacre Hall in 1794 it became a farm with a writer commenting in 1862,
The hall was divided into two farmhouses. One was Tophill Farm. The other was rented by Mr. Joe Wood who delivered milk to Oughtibridge and the surrounding district. The hall fell in to disrepair during the second half of the 20th century and substantial renovation work has turned the hall into two private dwellings. Before the restoration a cock pit
was found in the roof area of the hall.
with a stone slate
roof, it is built in a rough “H” plan and has two storey with an attic. It has doubled chamfered mullion windows throughout some of which have had 20th century modification. The interior has chamfered beams in the left wing while the right wing has a large arched kitchen fireplace.
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
in South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It has a population of 1.29 million. It consists of four metropolitan boroughs: Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, and City of Sheffield...
, England. The hall is located on Green Lane in the small hamlet of Onesacre in the suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
of Oughtibridge
Oughtibridge
Oughtibridge is a residential village on the northern outskirts of Sheffield within the bounds of Bradfield Parish Council. The village stands northwest of the city centre in the valley of the River Don...
, 8.5 km north west of the city centre.
History
The present Onesacre Hall has no exact date of construction but is believed to have been built in the early and middle parts of the 17th century, however Onesacre itself is a hamlet of some antiquity, it was mentioned in the Domesday BookDomesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
of 1086 and before that was part of the estate of the Saxon Lord, Godric. In the Domesday Book the hamlet is spelt Anesacre meaning “The Field of An” and comes from the Old Norse
Old Norse
Old Norse is a North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age, until about 1300....
language. Onesacre was originally created as a forest clearing on high ground above the Don valley by Norwegian settlers. After the Norman Conquest
Norman conquest of England
The Norman conquest of England began on 28 September 1066 with the invasion of England by William, Duke of Normandy. William became known as William the Conqueror after his victory at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066, defeating King Harold II of England...
the Onesacre lands were owned by the Le Rous family who were probably of Norman descent. Around 1380 the lands passed to the Stead family when Alice Le Rous, the sole heiress married John Stead of Wentworth
Wentworth, South Yorkshire
Wentworth is a village and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham in South Yorkshire, England. It has a population of 1,223.- History :...
.
The Steads were to become substantial landowners throughout South Yorkshire and owned the Onesacre estate for over 400 years until the year 1794, they were also connected to the nearby Hillsborough House
Hillsborough House
Hillsborough House, later called Hillsborough Hall is a large stone built mansion built in the Adam style in the latter part of the 18th century. It stands 2½ miles NW of the centre of Sheffield at grid reference in the suburb of Hillsborough within Hillsborough Park, a council owned public...
and Burrowlee House
Burrowlee House
Burrowlee House is a Georgian style building situated at grid reference on Broughton Road in the Owlerton district of Sheffield, some four km NW of the city centre. It is the oldest building in the Owlerton and Hillsborough area and was one of the first houses constructed wholly from brick in...
. It was Nicholas Stead (1583-1639) and his son Thomas (1619-86) who instigated the building of the gabled
Gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system being used and aesthetic concerns. Thus the type of roof enclosing the volume dictates the shape of the gable...
and mullioned
Mullion
A mullion is a vertical structural element which divides adjacent window units. The primary purpose of the mullion is as a structural support to an arch or lintel above the window opening. Its secondary purpose may be as a rigid support to the glazing of the window...
Onesacre Hall using the master mason John Hawley of nearby Thorn House Farm to construct the hall. The building was done in two phases the first being 1630 -1640 and the second between 1660 -1670. In 1672 the Steads were taxed on six hearths at the hall. After the Steads left Onesacre Hall in 1794 it became a farm with a writer commenting in 1862,
The hall was divided into two farmhouses. One was Tophill Farm. The other was rented by Mr. Joe Wood who delivered milk to Oughtibridge and the surrounding district. The hall fell in to disrepair during the second half of the 20th century and substantial renovation work has turned the hall into two private dwellings. Before the restoration a cock pit
Cockfight
A cockfight is a blood sport between two roosters , held in a ring called a cockpit. Cockfighting is now illegal throughout all states in the United States, Brazil, Australia and in most of Europe. It is still legal in several U.S. territories....
was found in the roof area of the hall.
Architecture
The hall is constructed from ashlars sandstoneSandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
with a stone slate
Slate
Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. The result is a foliated rock in which the foliation may not correspond to the original sedimentary layering...
roof, it is built in a rough “H” plan and has two storey with an attic. It has doubled chamfered mullion windows throughout some of which have had 20th century modification. The interior has chamfered beams in the left wing while the right wing has a large arched kitchen fireplace.