Blease Hall

Blease Hall is a house, likely built around 1600 for Robert Bateman. The stonework was probably carried out by members of the Gibson family, who also worked on Levens Hall. The building is constructed of rubble stone with quoins, and has graduated slate roofs with moulded copings and kneelers. Originally, it was a hall with projecting cross-wings, though the north wing may have been part of an earlier structure; the south wing was demolished in the early 18th century. The Hall has a cellar and attics, and is 4 bays wide (1:1:1:1). A late 20th century gabled porch now provides the main entrance, attached to the south return.

The garden elevation of the north wing features a part-glazed door with a casement to the left. Above that is a five-light mullioned and transomed window, and a four-light mullioned and transomed attic window, both set under hoodmoulds with labels. The main hall has a full-height central bay with an eight-light (1:3:3:1) king-mullioned and transomed window on each floor, which were blocked until 1985. To the left of the ground floor window is a two-light mullioned window, also under a hoodmould with a label; remnants of a similar window remain to the right. The rear wall of the hall was rebuilt around 1830, while the rear of the wing retains a partially blocked cellar door, along with a window, both with chamfered surrounds. The building has a large projecting chimney to the north end, a stepped cylindrical chimney mid-way along, and a chimney to the south end, all rendered.

Inside, the Hall is entered through a studded plank door within a (reset?) surround with a false four-centred head. A large fireplace with a moulded segmental arch is opposite the entrance, flanked by panelled doors in architraves; the left-hand door leads into a former parlour with a foliate plaster frieze, while the right-hand door provides access to a dog-leg oak staircase with square newels, turned balusters (renewed in 1985), and a moulded handrail. The first floor of the Hall retains remains of a fine plaster ceiling with vine-scroll decoration, figures, a frieze, and plaster moulding to the beams. The wings contain three braced trusses with carpenters’ numbers. Throughout the building, the main timbers are stop-chamfered with run-out stops. When surveyed in June 1985, the building was undergoing refurbishment to a high standard, which included cleaning and repairing plasterwork and replacing panelling.