| Description | Chiserley Hall, Old Town, Wadsworth .
'House, with dated porch 1617, now forms 3 dwellings. Large dressed stone slate roof. 2 storeys. Double depth under parallel roofs each with coped gables, kneelers and gable stack. Cyma moulded string course. 2 storey gabled porch has Tudor arched doorway with moulded surround, similar inner doorway. 2 light window over with chamfered surround and arched lights (lacks mullions). Over is date plaque inscribed ' WILAM '. To right of porch inserted doorway with MITCHELL 1617: monolithic jambs and 3 light chamfered mullioned window to each floor. Left hand return wall has weathered plinth and 3 double chamfered mullioned windows to each floor. Those to ground floor have ovolo moulded mullions. 3 light with 6 light over; 3 light with 6 light over; 2 light with same over. Hoodmould steps over windows. Other chamfered mullioned windows to right hand return wall. 2 other stacks to ridge'.
(English Heritage listed building description. Date listed 12/12/1984. http://list.english heritage.org.uk/resultsingle.aspx?uid=1227305. Web site accessed 21/10/2013).
No 3 Chiserley Hall [subdivision] was the subject of a planning application in 1996 for 'Listed building consent (retrospective) to lower wall enclosing yard and forming gate way to garden' (Calderdale Council planning application reference number 96/41/00416). Peter Thornborrow (Historic Buildings Officer. WYAS) provided the consultation response.
Thornborrow described Chiserley Hall as one of a small group of yeoman farmhouses which has a two storey decorative porch gracing its entrance. The porch is one of the earliest in Calderdale being dated 1617. Such storied porches do not appear again in Calderdale until the 1630s. The plan of the hall is unusual: it has a double pile plan i.e. it is two rooms deep with twin parallel ranges running east to west, both gabled with finely dressed tabling copings, kneelers and large ashlar stone chimney stacks. The porch is set between the two ranges and has a fine gable top matching the wings behind with a two light mullioned window above the open porch entrance doorway. This porch is approached obliquely through the arched entrance into a paved yard. The enclosing wall of the barn, cottages and wall between the hall and the cottages creates a courtyard in front of the entrance which is in effect enclosed on three sides. This has the effect of throwing the porch into prominence.
Thornborrow considered that the lowering of the wall [this had already occurred] was to be deplored. The action opened up a new vista which detracted from the main entrance. It was recommended that the application be refused and the applicant be required to rebuild the wall back to its original height using the original stones. The applicant should also be required to submit a further LBC for alterations already made to the hall (Thornborrow, P.H. (WYAS). 1996. Consultation response to Calderdale Council planning application reference number 96/41/00416. No.3 Chiserley Hall). WYAAS archives holds photographic prints of the affected area (Thornborrow, P.H. (WYAS). 1996). |