A Manor was mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086, and there have been several houses on the site until the final building, a Classical-style Stately Home known as Appleby Hall, was built in the 1830s.
Like many landed families, the Moore family who owned it fell on hard times, and the Hall was demolished in the 1920s.
Nothing is known of the early Manor, or Manors on the site.
The Moore family
North East View of Appleby Hall
The Manor of Appleby Parva was purchased by the Moore Family at the very end of the 16th century and would remain in their possession until the start of the 20th century.[2] Over this time the family demolished the existing manor house and built and extended their new house to become Appleby Hall.[2] The direct line of the Moores as lords of the manor failed three times, and the family were not in constant occupation at the Hall.[3]
The most famous member of the family was Sir John Moore. As a second (and thus non-inheriting) son, he went to London to make his own fortune, becoming a merchant, an MP, and later Lord Mayor and Alderman of London.[4] He contributed large sums to the erection of schools at Christ's Hospital, and founded a free grammar school in Appleby Magna, now called Sir John Moore Church of England Primary School.[4] He died aged 81, on 2 June 1702, leaving his estates, worth £80,000 (£6,247,200 today[5]), to his two nephews living in Appleby Parva.[4]
In addition to building and developing the Hall, the Moore Family developed much of the surrounding land in the Hamlet.[3] Charles Moore had the existing manor house demolished in 1770.[3] George Moore sought to improve the poorly drained land around the land at the turn of the 19th century.[3] His son George constructed Appleby Hall and created the landscaped Parkland that surrounded it.[3] George became a magistrate for the counties of Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Warwickshire and was High Sheriff of Derbyshire in 1837.[6]
The Moore family continued to hold considerable influence over Appleby Magna and Parva until the end of the 19th century.[6] They had no formal titles, and were known locally as Squires.[6] They became patrons for the village, funding the refurbishment of the church and the construction of the Almshouses in Appleby Magna.[6] A secondary line to that living at the Hall served as Rectors to the Parish for several generations.[6]
By the 1880s the family's fortunes had sharply declined when the Agricultural slump causing revenues to fall considerably.[6] With no money, the Hall was eventually sold in 1919, followed by the last member of the family moving away to Devon.[6]
Development of the Hall
New Road Gatehouse
In 1770, Charles Moore demolished the existing Manor house.[3] It is unclear if an entirely new house was constructed or an existing smaller house was modified, however a building existed on the site by 1796, known at the time as 'Town House', but which would eventually become known as 'Appleby House'.[3]
In 1813, George Moore inherited and sought to improve the poorly drained, waterlogged land of the hamlet, which was prone to flooding, especially in the winter months.[3] George was a pioneer in agricultural techniques and was described by John Nichols as "the first introducer of the improved system of watering grass-lands in this country", having previously won a gold medal, for under-draining land, from the Society of Arts in the year 1794.[3]
Appleby Hall would be substantially remodelled and expanded to create Appleby Hall by George's son, another George Moore, between 1832 and 1838.[3] George retained the existing Appleby house as an attachment to the rear of the new classical style mansion he built.[3]
George obliterated the late medieval settlement pattern; the surrounding properties were demolished and 'New Road' was built to replace the earlier road that passed by the front of the house, thereby creating a private garden around the house, landscaped parkland, and a deer park.[3] New carriage ways were built, as were gatehouses (which, although altered and extended, still exist today).[3]
At its height, the estate ran to over 4,500 acres and included land in many of the neighbouring villages.[6]
Decline
The Entrance/Stair Hall of Appleby Hall
By the 1880s the Moore family's fortunes had sharply declined when the Agricultural slump caused revenues to fall considerably.[6]George's son, George John Moore, initially tried to save the estate by searching for coal: The Appleby Magna Colliery Company was formed in the 1870s but failed to find any workable coal seams.[6] George John attempted to cut his expenses by demolishing several of the family's ancillary and dower homes, but was ultimately forced to put Appleby Hall and its estate up for sale: he then retired to Witchingham Hall in Norfolk.[6] The attempt to sell failed, however several farms were auctioned in 1888 and 1889.[6]
George John returned to Appleby Hall in 1891 and, despite his financial situation, continued to live an extravagant lifestyle with numerous household staff.[6] With insufficient income, ends were met by the repeated sales of farms and land.[6]
George John died in 1916 and his son Charles L G Moore inherited the Hall and estate (now less than 2400 acres).[6] George John's will left his widow with money and most of the hall's contents, as well as sizeable capital sums to his brothers and sisters, worsening still the estate's financial situation.[6]
In 1918 the estate was no longer viable and Charles looked to sell.[6]
In 1919 he forced an ultimatum on his tenant farmers: they would have to give him 10 shillings more rent per acre, or he would be forced to sell (a rise of between 32% and 50%).[6] The farmers initially agreed, but later reneged, thinking he was bluffing and doubting he would actually sell the estate the family had lived in for 300 years.[6] Charles had, however, already received an offer and the house was sold to property speculators. The rest of the estate was auctioned on Thursday 20 November 1919 at the Royal Hotel, Ashby de la Zouch.[6]
The estate was divided into 49 lots comprising a total of 2786 acres, and included 12 farms, 22 small holdings, 2 inns and about 50 cottages.[6] With the estate sold, Charles retired to Devon where he died in 1961.[6]
The farms and small holdings were mainly sold to their tenants.[6] After being sold, Appleby Hall was stripped of its valuable materials (interiors and lead roof) and had been completely demolished by 1930.[6]
Appleby Hall Now
Only the gatehouses and part of the stables building remain of the original house, however all have been substantially altered.[6]
The New Road Gatehouse was originally a single-storey construction (see photo above). Initially it was extended upward to a second storey, but a two-storey extension was subsequently added to the side of the building. Further single-storey extensions to the rear make the building over four times larger than when originally built.
Only a small portion of the stables buildings remains: part has been converted into sheds and warehouses, whilst most of what remains are in ruins.
Much of the Hall's gardens have been incorporated into surrounding farmland.
Several small properties have also been built on the site.
Bodiam Castle is a 14th-century moated castle near Robertsbridge in East Sussex, England. It was built in 1385 by Sir Edward Dalyngrigge, a former knight of Edward III, with the permission of Richard II, ostensibly to defend the area against French invasion during the Hundred Years' War. Of quadrangular plan, Bodiam Castle has no keep, having its various chambers built around the outer defensive walls and inner courts. Its corners and entrance are marked by towers, and topped by crenellations. Its structure, details and situation in an artificial watery landscape indicate that display was an important aspect of the castle's design as well as defence. It was the home of the Dalyngrigge family and the centre of the manor of Bodiam.
Willesley is a historic village, ward and suburb of Ashby-de-la-Zouch, in the North West Leicestershire district, in the county of Leicestershire, England. It was originally in Derbyshire. Willesley Hall was the home of the Abney and later the Abney-Hastings family. It is now one of the wards of Ashby Town Council.
Baconsthorpe Castle, historically known as Baconsthorpe Hall, is a ruined, fortified manor house near the village of Baconsthorpe, Norfolk, England. It was established in the 15th century on the site of a former manor hall, probably by John Heydon I and his father, William. John was an ambitious lawyer with many enemies and built a tall, fortified house, but his descendants became wealthy sheep farmers, and being less worried about attack, developed the property into a more elegant, courtyard house, complete with a nearby deer park.
Bramall Hall is a largely Tudor manor house in Bramhall, Greater Manchester, England. Its oldest parts date from the 14th century, with additions from the 16th and 19th centuries. It is a notable example of the timber-framed buildings found throughout the historic county of Cheshire. The house functions as a museum and its 70 acres (28 ha) of landscaped parkland are open to the public.
Appleby Magna is a village and civil parish in the North West Leicestershire district, in the county of Leicestershire, England. It includes the small hamlets of Appleby Parva and Little Wigston.
Appleby Parva, or Little Appleby, part of the parish of Appleby Magna in Leicestershire, is a hamlet about 1 mile (1.6 km) south-west of Appleby church. It straddles the A444, south of the crossroads of the highways from Ashby de la Zouch to Tamworth, from Atherstone to Burton upon Trent and Junction 11 of the M42/A42. Appleby Magna and Appleby Parva are usually collectively known as Appleby.
Brougham Castle is a medieval building about 2 miles (3.2 km) south-east of Penrith, Cumbria, England. The castle was founded by Robert I de Vieuxpont in the early 13th century. The site, near the confluence of the rivers Eamont and Lowther, had been chosen by the Romans for a Roman fort called Brocavum. The castle, along with the fort, is a scheduled monument: "Brougham Roman fort and Brougham Castle".
Chipchase Castle is a 17th-century Jacobean mansion incorporating a substantial 14th-century pele tower, which stands north of Hadrian's Wall, near Wark on Tyne, between Bellingham and Hexham in Northumberland, England. It is a Scheduled Ancient Monument and a Grade I listed building.
Gopsall is a former civil parish, now in the parish of Twycross, in the Hinckley and Bosworth district, in the county of Leicestershire, England. It is located between the villages of Appleby Magna, Shackerstone, Twycross and Snarestone. In 1931 the parish had a population of 13. Gopsall was formerly an extra-parochial tract, from 1858 Gopsall was a civil parish in its own right, on 1 April 1935 the parish was abolished and merged with Twycross.
Overseal is a village and civil parish in South Derbyshire district of Derbyshire, England. It is 3 miles (4.8 km) south of Swadlincote, 5 miles (8.0 km) west of Ashby-de-la-Zouch and 13 miles (21 km) south-southwest of Derby. It had a population of the civil parish at the 2011 census was 2,450. Situated within the National Forest area, it is near the villages of Netherseal and Lullington as well as being close to the border with Leicestershire. It is one of the southernmost settlements in Derbyshire.
George Moore (1811–1871) was a landowner who became the High Sheriff of Derbyshire and built Appleby Hall in Leicestershire.
Croxall Hall is a restored and extended 16th century manor house situated in the small village of Croxall, Staffordshire. It is a Grade II* listed building.
Horham Hall may refer to the timber-framed late mediaeval hall in Thaxted, England, or to the brick hall built in its place by Sir John Cutte in the early 16th century.
Sir John Moore Church of England Primary School, previously known as Appleby Grammar School, is a junior school situated in the village of Appleby Magna, in Leicestershire, England. The school was constructed between 1693 and 1697, based on an original design by Sir Christopher Wren and Sir William Wilson. The school was established and financed by Sir John Moore, the younger son of the local squire who became Lord Mayor and Alderman of London. The school occupies an elevated position to the south of the village and sits in its own walled, landscaped grounds totaling just over 3.5 acres (14,000 m2). The main school building is Grade I listed; the gates, gatepiers, wall and outbuildings are all Grade II listed. The primary school was rated "outstanding" in its last Ofsted inspection.
Rivington Hall is a Grade II* listed building in Rivington, Lancashire, England. It was the manor house for the Lords of the Manor of Rivington. The hall is of various builds as successor to a 15th-century timber-framed courtyard house that was built near to the present building of which no trace remains. It is a private residence.
Sir John Moore was a British politician. He was the Member of Parliament for the City of London from 15 May 1685 to 9 January 1687, and Lord Mayor of London from 1681–82. He also invested in the slave trade.
Horton-cum-Studley is a village and civil parish in the Cherwell district, in Oxfordshire, England, about 6+1⁄2 miles (10.5 km) northeast of the centre of Oxford and bordering Otmoor, and is one of the "Seven Towns" of Otmoor. The 2011 Census recorded the parish's population as 455. A majority of residents in the village work in the Healthcare and Educational Sectors.
Elmhurst Hall was a country house in the village of Elmhurst, Staffordshire. The house was located approximately 1.5 miles north of the city of Lichfield.
Duxbury Hall was a 19th-century country house in Duxbury Park estate in Duxbury Woods, Duxbury, Lancashire that has been demolished.
Nether Hall or Netherhall is a former manor in Roydon, Essex, England. Established during the medieval period, Nether Hall contained two manor houses built in the mid-15th century and occupied by the Colte family. Thomas More married one of the Colte daughters and visited Nether Hall during their courtship.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
