| Description | Lotherton Hall is primarily a late 19th and early 20th building, with a central section that my date back to the 18th century (Slack, 1984, 170). The hall is sited within parkland and formal gardens (the latter being an English Heritage Registered Park and Garden). The park includes a Grade II* Listed 12th century chapel (PRN 1157) and a Grade II Listed farmhouse (Department of the Environment. 1990, 35 6) and an area of well preserved ridge and furrow. The hall was given to Leeds Metropolitan District Council in 1968 by Sir Alvary and Lady Gascoigne, whose family associations with the area can be traced to the 14th century (Slack, 1984, 170).
Cartographic, documentary and archaeological evidence suggests that an early settlement was located at Lotherton, however, it appears to have been abandoned at some date after the 18th century (see below). The earliest reference to Lotherton is dated to 963 AD when 'luttington' was recorded (Smith 1961, 55). The chapel has architectural features that can be dated to the 12th century and the presence of ridge and furrow to the west suggest a nearby medieval settlement. In 1556 the place name 'Ludderton' was recorded (Smith 1961, 56). Saxton's map of 1577 shows a large building at 'Ludderton'. A linear settlement called 'Lutherstone' is shown on John Warburton's map of 1720, in the approximate location of the later hall, although it should be noted that neither the hall or church is shown. Jeffrey's map of 1775 records a settlement clustered around a road junction and aligned along the south western running road, where it eventually joins with a church and large house. In comparison with the other settlements shown on the map, Lotherton is a medium sized settlement. This evidence of a settlement to the north of the church and house is substantiated by the location of the main door of the chapel. The main public entrance to medieval churches was usually through a southern door (Friar 1998, 165), however, the main entrance of the Lotherton chapel is on the north side. The juxtaposition of the door suggests that it may have provided a more convenient entrance for the worshipers of the north lying settlement (Weldrake 1995, 6). By the mid 19th century, however, it appears that much of the settlement was abandoned. The Ordnance Survey First Edition map of 1849 shows a small number of buildings clustering around the road junction and the chapel and hall being descrete from these buildings and separated by fields. During the 1839 Tithe Survey, a field adjacent to the road junction was was recorded as 'Croft' (West Yorkshire Archaeology Service U.D.). An interpretation of 'Croft' is given as 'An enclosed area of land adjacent to a dwelling' (Friar 1991, 97). This interpretation again suggests buildings in the area. When discussing Lotherton, Bereford states
'An extent of 1359 (PRO C 135/143/9) is of a normal village community'
(Beresford 1953, 233)
and earlier in the article he describes
'In 1650 the Parliamentary Survey described the chapel here as serving 'Lotherton Town' but 'no considerable number of parishioners to resort thither'. It has all the signs of imparking enclosure but I have seen no definate earthworks on the air photograph'
(Beresford 1953, 232 3)
The above suggests that a medieval settlement was established at Lotherton, but by the mid 17th century it was in decline. The disscussion concerning the possible 'emparking' is unclear as a settlement is shown in 1775, although it is possible that the emparking took place after this date? It is possible that earthworks described in PRN 1081 are associated with a settlement at Lotherton.
A 1992 publication states that 'By 1086 records suggest that a hall or manor house had been built here [Lotherton]...' |