Horden Hall

Gatehouse Classification - Fortified Manor House

Has been described as a Possible Solar tower (peel-tower)

There are masonry footings remains

NameHorden Hall
Alternative Names
Medieval CountyCounty Palatinate of Durham
Historic CountryDurham
Modern AuthorityDurham
1974 AuthorityCounty Durham
Civil ParishHorden

Site of C13 towerhouse, which may have been rebuilt in C15. It was demolished in the late C16 and was replaced by Grade 2-star listed Horden Hall which, in its northern side, incorporates some 2m thick walling, possibly part of the original building. Licence to crenellate granted to Marmaduke fitz Geoffrey in 1260. Widow of William de Claxton received a licence for a private chapel in her manor house at Horden in 1411. (Jackson)

The licence in 45 Hen. III. to Marmaduke Fitz-Geoffrey for his house at Horden, a place which Mr. Parker says is unknown, and he queries it Houghton. Now the licencee is a notable personage in the pedigree of the Fitz-Marmadukes of Horden, and that spot, their customary residence, is one of the earliest and best known estates among the military tenures of the Palatinate. It is near Easington. The present hall is Jacobean, but it might repay a more careful investigation than has been bestowed upon it. (Longstaffe)

Small manor house. Mid C17, possibly incorporating medieval masonry, with later alterations. Probably for Sir John Conyers (died 1664). Interior: 2-metre thick rear wall, possibly medieval, visible in cellar. (Listed Building Report)

Gatehouse Comments

The actual form of the C13 house (domum)of Marmaduke fitz Geoffrey does not seem to be really known and authors have assumed it was a tower house, although this was a common form of such houses in this area. One of several medieval high status houses on the periphery of Yoden DMV in the medieval parish of Easington. (cf. Eden Hall and Seaton Holme)

- Philip Davis

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law

This is a Grade 2* listed building protected by law

Historic England Scheduled Monument Number
Historic England Listed Building number(s)
Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceNZ43284242
Latitude54.77484
Longitude-1.32864
Eastings443280
Northings542420
Length
Width
Dimensions Comment
Vault
Vault Comment
Orientation
Orientation Comment
Wall Thickness 1
Wall Thickness 2
Map
Holder
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink
Copyright Dave Barlow of Abaroths World All Rights ReservedView full Sized Image
Copyright Dave Barlow of Abaroths World All Rights ReservedView full Sized Image
Copyright Dave Barlow of Abaroths World All Rights ReservedView full Sized Image

Books

  • Salter, Mike, 2002, The Castles and Tower Houses of County Durham(Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 35
  • Emery, Anthony, 1996, Greater Medieval Houses of England and WalesVol. 1 Northern England (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press) p. 139
  • Jackson, M.J., 1996, Castles of Durham and Cleveland(Carlisle) p. 33-4
  • King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum(London: Kraus) Vol. 1
  • Turner, T.H. and Parker, J.H., 1859, Some account of Domestic Architecture in England(Oxford) Vol. 3 Part 2 p. 402 online copy
  • Mackenzie, E. and Ross, M., 1834, An Historical, Topographical and Descriptive View of the County Palatine of DurhamVol. 1 p. 392-4 online copy
  • Hutchinson, Wm, 1785-94, The History and Antiquities of the County Palatine of DurhamVol. 2 p. 739-40 online copy

Journals

  • Robson, H.L., 1974-6, 'Horden Hall' Antiquities of Sunderland and its vicinityVol. 26 p. xl, 1-27
  • Longstaffe, W.H.D., 1859, 'Licences to Crenellate – Horden' The Gentleman's MagazineVol. 6 Part 2 p. 504 online copy
  • R.R. 1809, The Gentleman's MagazineVol. 79 Part 2 p. 1185, 1209-10 online copy

Primary Sources

  • Maxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1910, Calendar of Patent Rolls Henry III(1258-66) Vol. 5 p. 132 online copy

Other

  • Coulson, C., Handlist of English Royal Licences to Crenellate 1200-1578