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Lees Hall


joannaeckersley@gmai

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Hi everyone, thanks for all the interesting postings. I've had a look around the site because I live near Cat Lane woods and wanted to find out more about the old Lees Hall. Managed to find bits and bobs but lots of old chats led (sadly!) to broken links. Would love to know more about the place in general. The thing I've been wondering this week is: the three grassy flat areas - were these once like big lawns and the estate shaped them that way as an ornamental three tiered thing? Otherwise, why the big grassy areas?! Found the orchard the other day which was really nice. 

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3 hours ago, joannaeckersley@gmai said:

Hi everyone, thanks for all the interesting postings. I've had a look around the site because I live near Cat Lane woods and wanted to find out more about the old Lees Hall. Managed to find bits and bobs but lots of old chats led (sadly!) to broken links. Would love to know more about the place in general. The thing I've been wondering this week is: the three grassy flat areas - were these once like big lawns and the estate shaped them that way as an ornamental three tiered thing? Otherwise, why the big grassy areas?! Found the orchard the other day which was really nice. 

Leveled out by Sheffield Council, I believe a former refuse tip was in that area.

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42 minutes ago, SteveHB said:

Leveled out by Sheffield Council, I believe a former refuse tip was in that area.

It was the refuse tip in tiers, I could see it all from my room window, over the fifty years I have lived here, the trees have grown and the tiers are no longer in sight but Deer are now being seen regularly in the area. 

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10 hours ago, SteveHB said:

Found in the area of Lees Hall

Great find. But it looks much older than the tip site.

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Quote:picturesheffield.com https://www.picturesheffield.com s05588

"The following paragraph is from 'List of Buildings of Architectural or Historic Interest Scheduled for Preservation under the Town and Country Planning Act. 1947, Miscellaneous Papers; Probably 16th Century and later. A three-storey stone house with gabled roofs of stone slates running north, south. Moulded coping on the verges and wide kneelers and ball finial on the apex.

Three gables above south face but only one above the north (west side) the others having been removed in the 18th Century, when a small projecting wing was added to the east side. Mullioned and transomed windows to each floor. The west front has three-light mullioned windows to second floor, three 18th Century sash windows to first floor, one three-light mullioned window in the centre of the ground floor and a small single light left of the low square headed doorway at the south end, Interior may be of interest.

Home of the Parkers and the Barkers.It was situated along Kidnapper Lane and from Gleadless by Cat Lane.The old cart shed had a carved stone bearing the word "Pax" and the date 1732 built into its front. Sadly, the Hall was demolished in the 1950's and the rubble was used to fill the pond. For more information & illustrations, see, 'Chantrey Land',by Harold Armitage, pages 51-58.Cat. No. 942.51 SST."

 

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From “Chantrey Land” by Harold Armitage (1910)

Armitage wrote his own personal recollections of Lees Hall:

“My own recollections of Lees Hall are associated entirely with the dwelling there of the Butchers, Samuel and Henry, bachelor brothers.  Samuel, unable to walk, was driven to Sheffield, occasionally, but Henry was a robust virile man, with a ruddy face and black hair, who stalked vigorously about his fields and woods, not ill-natured with peaceable people, but ready with a few sharp expletives for those he found relieving his fields of their turnips, his hedges of their stakes, or otherwise encroaching upon his rights.  Farming near a large industrial centre is not an experience that tends to philosophic calm. About the house itself, however, in those days it was rare to see any one.  Always it seemed there like a country Sunday afternoon. Invariably was the door open and a carefully polished old chair stood in view, but nobody ever seemed to come through the door, nobody ever seemed to sit in the chair.  Surely never was such a home of quiet as Lees Hall in the [eighteen] seventies and eighties.  There was ever about the old place an atmosphere of dignity and decorum, a silence broken only from time to time by the barking of a great black dog that challenged passage along the path between the house and the stack yard.”

The brothers’ mother, Mrs Benjamin Butcher, was in bed, expected to die within the hour.  The doctor and her sons were present.  She awoke and said she was hungry.  She fancied a glass of beer and some bread and cheese.  The doctor declared such a diet most unsuitable, but as the end was so near she was humoured.  They would see that she did not touch the food when it was brought.  At the sight of the beer and cheese however, Mrs Butcher sat up and proceeded to eat a hearty meal.  So far from being dead in a few hours, she lived for another four years.

Here is a list of occupants of Lees Hall:

In 1626 Humphrey Cardinall, gentleman was at Lees Hall.

In 1659 ‘Sellbee Massonn’, attorney-at-law was occupant with his wife Margaret Barker.

A year later the occupiers were Francis Barker and Mistress Ann his wife, who were still there in 1671. Ann Parker (baptised 1629 at Norton) married Francis Barker of Dore. Their daughter Ann married John Cave, gentleman and they were living at Lees Hall in 1673. When John Cave died Ann married John Bright of Dronfield.

In 1689 William Wastnidge was there, and still there in 1691.

In 1693 Edward Greenwood, gentleman was at the Hall.

Widow Brearley was there in 1703.

By 1707 Ralph Clay was there until he left for Hemsworth in 1719.

The Poll Book of 1734 records John Challinor of Lees Hall, but he may have been the owner rather than the occupant.

Thomas Ellin was at Lees Hall in 1747 and 1767, followed by James then John in 1771.  Thomas was Master Cutler and his sons followed him into the cutlery trade.

After the Ellins came John Butterill (1774 and 1777).

Robert Booker is next, up to 1808, though a Mr Senior kept the Hall until Robert came of age. The Bookers' successors were the Butchers (see above).

In 1910 the Hall was occupied by Mr W. Clarke

 

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6 hours ago, Edmund said:

From “Chantrey Land” by Harold Armitage (1910)

Armitage wrote his own personal recollections of Lees Hall:

“My own recollections of Lees Hall are associated entirely with the dwelling there of the Butchers, Samuel and Henry, bachelor brothers.  Samuel, unable to walk, was driven to Sheffield, occasionally, but Henry was a robust virile man, with a ruddy face and black hair, who stalked vigorously about his fields and woods, not ill-natured with peaceable people, but ready with a few sharp expletives for those he found relieving his fields of their turnips, his hedges of their stakes, or otherwise encroaching upon his rights.  Farming near a large industrial centre is not an experience that tends to philosophic calm. About the house itself, however, in those days it was rare to see any one.  Always it seemed there like a country Sunday afternoon. Invariably was the door open and a carefully polished old chair stood in view, but nobody ever seemed to come through the door, nobody ever seemed to sit in the chair.  Surely never was such a home of quiet as Lees Hall in the [eighteen] seventies and eighties.  There was ever about the old place an atmosphere of dignity and decorum, a silence broken only from time to time by the barking of a great black dog that challenged passage along the path between the house and the stack yard.”

The brothers’ mother, Mrs Benjamin Butcher, was in bed, expected to die within the hour.  The doctor and her sons were present.  She awoke and said she was hungry.  She fancied a glass of beer and some bread and cheese.  The doctor declared such a diet most unsuitable, but as the end was so near she was humoured.  They would see that she did not touch the food when it was brought.  At the sight of the beer and cheese however, Mrs Butcher sat up and proceeded to eat a hearty meal.  So far from being dead in a few hours, she lived for another four years.

Here is a list of occupants of Lees Hall:

In 1626 Humphrey Cardinall, gentleman was at Lees Hall.

In 1659 ‘Sellbee Massonn’, attorney-at-law was occupant with his wife Margaret Barker.

A year later the occupiers were Francis Barker and Mistress Ann his wife, who were still there in 1671. Ann Parker (baptised 1629 at Norton) married Francis Barker of Dore. Their daughter Ann married John Cave, gentleman and they were living at Lees Hall in 1673. When John Cave died Ann married John Bright of Dronfield.

In 1689 William Wastnidge was there, and still there in 1691.

In 1693 Edward Greenwood, gentleman was at the Hall.

Widow Brearley was there in 1703.

By 1707 Ralph Clay was there until he left for Hemsworth in 1719.

The Poll Book of 1734 records John Challinor of Lees Hall, but he may have been the owner rather than the occupant.

Thomas Ellin was at Lees Hall in 1747 and 1767, followed by James then John in 1771.  Thomas was Master Cutler and his sons followed him into the cutlery trade.

After the Ellins came John Butterill (1774 and 1777).

Robert Booker is next, up to 1808, though a Mr Senior kept the Hall until Robert came of age. The Bookers' successors were the Butchers (see above).

In 1910 the Hall was occupied by Mr W. Clarke

 

Samuel and Henry Butcher on the 1881 census.

Lees Hall 3.jpg

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The farm was still operational in the mid 1950s but by early 1962 it was just a pile of rubble.

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