Hellifield Peel

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Helefeld

In the civil parish of Hellifield.
In the historic county of Yorkshire West Riding (Modern Authority of North Yorkshire, 1974 county of North Yorkshire).

Tower house with C14 origins, altered in C15. The original structure comprised an aisled hall and tower solar. The hall was removed in C17 and the tower extended into a tower house proper. A ha-ha was built in the late C18 and a service wing was added to the house in the late C18-early C19. Licensed to crenellate granted to Laurence Hammerton in 1440. It is said to have been built/altered by Lawrence Hammerton circa 1440 - 41. Restored in 2005 as dwelling house although, unfortunately, the oldest part of the building, a remnant of the original pele tower, collapsed during this restoration. Prior to the restoration the building was on the 'at risk' register and collapse was immanent.

This site has been described as a;
Pele Tower
Tower House.
The confidence that this site is a medieval fortification or palace is Certain.
Major remains.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law.
This site is a Grade 2 listed building protected by law*. (Images of England number 323841)

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SD85885561

Sources of information, references and further reading

PastScape number; 45495

Web site links

http://www.dales-castles.org.uk/hellifield.htm

Books

Salter, Mike, 2001, The Castles and Tower Houses of Yorkshire (Malvern) p43
Emery, Anthony, 1996, Greater Medieval Houses Vol1 (Cambridge) p346
King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol2 p518
Pevsner, N., 1967; revised by Enid Radcliffe. The Buildings of England: Yorkshire, West Riding (London) p261
Whitaker, T.D., 1878 (3edn edited by A.W. Morant), The History and Antiquities of the Deanery of Craven in the County of York (Leedsand London) p151-3

Journal Articles

2005-6, 'Hellifield Peel' Castle Studies Group Journal Vol 19 p124
Ryder, P. and Birch, J., 1983, ‘Hellifield Peel — a North Yorkshire tower-house' Yorkshire Archaeological Journal Vol55 p73–94

Primary (Medieval documents or transcriptions of such documents - This section is far from complete and the secondary sources should be consulted for full references.)

Calendar of Charter Rolls Vol6 p11

Other sources and unpublished works (Theses, in-house reports and other such)

Grand Designs TV programme first broadcast 28-2-2007 (http://www.channel4.com/4homes/ontv/grand-designs/index.html) [restoration of building as a residence]

Most of the sites or buildings recorded in this web site are NOT open to the public and permission to visit a site must always be sought from the landowner or tenant

The information on this web page may be derived from information compiled by and/or copyright of English Heritage and other individuals and organisations.

It is an offence to disturb a Scheduled Monument without consent. It is a destruction of everyone's heritage to remove archaeological evidence from any site without proper recording and reporting. Don't use metal detectors on historic sites without authorisation.

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*The listed building may not be the actual medieval building, but a building on the site of, or incorporating fragments of, the described site.

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