Clifton Hall, Cumbria

Clifton Hall in the civil parish of Clifton, Cumbria, England, was a 15th century fortified manor house which was home to the Clifton family for almost 600 years. Only the tower block now survives as small pele tower which stands on its own beside a farmyard, next to the M6 motorway.

In its design, the Hall does not have the usual massive walls associated with such towers and it is thought that it was built in the 16th century. The tower measures 33 ft (10 m) by 26 ft (7.9 m) and comprises three floors, with the ground floor being divided into a number of smaller rooms.

At Clifton Hall, the windows are larger than in some of the other older peles; there is also a newel stair in the south-west corner leading upstairs and to the roof. Some archaeological excavations have uncovered the remains of a Medieval hall and cross-wing. The present tower replaced the cross-wing and in the 17th century a new larger hall was built on the south side. Some restoration work was carried out on the building in 1979.

This site is a scheduled monument and is now in the care of English Heritage.

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