New Hall

New Hall, Elland

An important gentry house built in the second half of the 15th century for Nicholas Savile, New Hall is one of the most significant vernacular buildings of West Yorkshire. The building follows an H-plan with a central hall and cross-wings projecting to both north and south. It features an exposed timber frame to the north and interior, with partial cladding in hammer-dressed stone and dressed stone to the hall range of the south front. The roof is of stone slate.

The south front is constructed in stone and presents six cells of uneven size. Reading from left to right: the western two-storey wing, a two-bay hall refronted circa 1640 by John Foxcroft, a cross passage with a two-storey porch, an eastern two-storey wing, a mid-18th century two-storey extension set back from the hall range with an associated 17th-century single-storey outshut featuring chamfered mullioned windows to the north, and an early 19th-century gabled wing that breaks forward. The western and eastern wings both have coped gables with kneelers and finials, and early 18th-century four-light windows with recessed flat-faced mullions and square reveals to both floors, with projecting surrounds and crude-edged slate hoodmoulds with straight returns. The lateral stacks to these wings are large, well-dressed, with offsets, and set upon a plinth, likely built onto the earlier timber-framed wings.

The hall section features a spectacular double-chamfered mullioned and transomed window of twenty-seven lights arranged in three panels of nine lights with two transoms, divided by king mullions. To its left is a two-light double-chamfered mullioned window lighting the upper end of the hall, and above is a single arched-headed light for the gallery, with a hoodmould continuing across the windows. An embattled parapet with 20th-century finials in keeping crowns this range.

The porch, forming the cross passage cell, is impressive in its detail. It has an ashlar-faced projecting front with a flamboyant rose window at its centre—a central circle surrounded by six mouchettes, an 'apple and pear' window design—crowned with a semi-circular hoodmould. A small gabled parapet with an original finial to the apex and carved heads on the straight returns is embattled to the return walls. The outer doorway has a semi-circular arch rising from moulded imposts, with moulded jambs and voussoirs. Flanking this are fluted Doric columns with straight entablature and a lozenge carved on the rectangular plinth. The inner doorway of the porch is similar, though with alternating flush and projecting stones forming the arch and jambs with rusticated voussoirs, a vernacular version of a Gibbs surround.

The mid-18th-century extension is partly built over the extruded stack of the east wing, which has large quoins. To the right is a cross window for the staircase with flat-faced mullions over a doorway with monolithic jambs, and a four-light flat-faced mullioned window with a broader central king mullion to both floors. A large ashlar stack rises to the ridge at the end of this bay. The early 19th-century wing is of rough rubble with a three-light flat-faced mullioned window with a dame over, a projecting sill, and a square opening in the gable; the first floor has a blocked taking-in door. Right-hand return walls are rendered.

The north front retains surviving timber frame at first-floor level with stone walls set forward to the ground floor. The east wing has a four-light double-chamfered mullioned window with three panels of timber framing above. The central panel features close studding with a projecting window; the outer panels have diagonal braces. The gable projects and is supported by an arch brace to the side, with a heavy tie-bead and king post truss with A-struts. A leanto with cat-slide roof covers the rear entry of the through passage, large kneelers supporting the close-studded wall above. The projecting eaves feature an unusual thistle-shaped wooden finial to the apex of the gable.

The west wing has a part-timbered outshut with a re-used inserted 17th-century doorway and a five-light double-chamfered mullioned window with hoodmould featuring spiral stops. Above are two flat-faced mullioned windows of three and four lights to the first floor. Only the gable shows the exposed king post truss with A-struts and arched brace to the ridge of the projecting eaves. The right-hand return wall is rendered with three small double-chamfered windows and quoins to the angle.

Interior

Both wings contain parlours to the south front with coffered ceilings featuring cross-beams and secondary spine-beams, all stop-chamfered at the intersections. The west wing has nine panels and the east wing six. The east wing retains 16th-century painting on the underside of wide original floorboards depicting an elephant and castle, and the Paschal lamb with cross, both surrounded by intertwined rope. Both parlours have large fireplaces with heavy roll-moulding, possibly of the early 16th century.

The open hall, without side-aisles, has heavy timbered post and king post truss with a cambered tie beam braced to the ridge. Oak-panelled walls retain a brattished spring-board to what was once a dais canopy, now gone. An oak staircase ascends to a gallery running round three sides. A segmental stone-arched fireplace is surmounted by a spectacular large plaster cast of the Royal Arms, dated 1670, coloured and gilded.

Historical Context

During the 17th century, New Hall was occupied by Dr Power, one of the first elected members of the Royal Society.