Howsham Hall

Howsham Hall is a stately home in Howsham, North Yorkshire, England, built in the early 17th Century.

The Hall was built on the site of a previous manor house using stone from the nearby Kirkham Priory following its dissolution under Henry VIII. The house was completed somewhere between 1608 and 1610. The cellar is Norman and the main part of the house is Elizabethan, however the structure of the building has been altered over the years. There is a Georgian brick extension at the back of the house and some of the windows have been altered so they have larger panes in the Georgian style.

It was for many years the seat of the Cholmeley family. The grandfather of Karl Pearson lived there. (He was reputedly the illegitimate son of Nathaniel Cholmeley.

In the grounds are three Giant Sequoia trees arranged in a triangle. These were given to a limited number of country estates in the seventeenth century. The old gates for the estate are several miles away towards York and have been recently restored.

Howsham Hall was bought in 1956 by John Knock. It had been due to be demolished by the council, but in 1958 it opened as an independent boys' school. More recently the school introduced both girls and day pupils. The school was closed on 6 July 2007 at the end of the Summer Term.

Curse of Kirkham

When Kirkham Priory was demolished following the Reformation, the stones were taken away by a local family and used in the construction of Howsham Hall. It is said that true happiness would never come to the that family or its successors. This is supposed to be the legend associated with Howsham Hall. The Bamburughs constructed the house using stones, timbers and other material from the Priory. This was considered sacrilege at the time so it is said that a curse was placed on Howsham Hall and the people that owned it. The curse stated that "All male heirs of the estate would perish". The Bamburugh family died out because of the lack of male heirs, the Wentworth intermarried with the bamburughs and they to became extinct. The family that became owners next, the Cholmelys also became extinnct, and the Stircklands have only 1 female member of the family left. The House is currently a prep school. Two male members of the current owning family have passed away, will the Legend continue?

External links

* [http://www.howshamhall.co.uk Howsham Hall School website]