East Riddlesden Hall

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A view of the rear entrance (including rose window) of the property.

A view of the main entrance (including rose window) of the property.

East Riddlesden Hall is a 17th-century British manor house in Keighley, West Yorkshire, now owned by the National Trust. The hall was built in 1642 by a wealthy Halifax, West Yorkshire clothier, James Murgatroyd. There is a medieval tithebarn in the grounds.

East Riddlesden Hall perches on a small plateau overlooking a bend in the River Aire on its way downstream from the town of Keighley. Interesting features include well-restored living accommodation on two floors, two Yorkshire Rose windows, walled garden, the ruined Starkie wing and several ghosts (reputedly).

The property was extended and re-built by James Murgatroyd, who built other stone manor houses throughout the West Riding of Yorkshire, in 1648. In the great hall, a small fireplace can be seen above the main fire place, where the floor for the first floor accommodation was not built. James Murgatroyd was a Royalist and this can be seen in royalist symbols and graffiti on and in the building. For example, the Bothy (now the tea room and shop) has the heads of Charles I and Henrietta Maria carved in the top most stone work.

The Murgatroyd family are reputed to be the inspiration for the Murgatroyd Baronets in the comic opera Ruddigore by Gilbert and Sullivan, and the opera has been performed at the Hall. The Murgatroyds of East Riddlesden Hall were notorious in the 17th century for their profanity and debauchery, and members of the family were fined, imprisoned and excommunicated. Haworth West Lane Baptist Amateur Operatic Society is scheduled to perform Ruddigore at East Riddlesden Hall from 13-17 November, 2007.^[1]