Item 1 Title

Item 1 Description

Item 2 Title

Item 2 Description

Item 3 Title

Item 3 Description

Item 3 Title

Item 3 Description

Item 3 Title

Item 3 Description

EVENT ROOMS

Click here to see our rooms availble for hire

UPCOMING EVENTS

Click here for Event List or signup to receive our events via email, which will be sent out on a monthly basis.

 

THE HISTORY BAILDONHALL

Baildon Hall is a typical example of a 16c Manor House, built by Robert Baildon in 1553 on the site of a previous Mediaeval Manor House, parts of which still remain in the south Wing which dates back to the 14c. Robert was a descendant of the Baildon family who had been connected with Baildon since the 1100s. Dividing the Hall Body from the wing is a 14c Oak Screen Passageway, the three archways would lead to a middle staircase for the upstairs Solar Room and rooms either side. The fireplaces were uncovered during restoration work carried out in the 1960s. Originally the South Wing was a wattle and daub structure and was not encased in stone until 1683, a date stone was found showing the date and with the initials JB for Jane Baildon who was living there at the time.

The main lounge has a fine 10ft fireplace and mullioned windows. Unfortunately 3 of the mullions were taken out and a doorway made in the 1800s. This has now been blocked up again. The cupboard door on the wall dates back to Francis Baildon's time about 1649 and would be used as a store cupboard. The cupboard itself was found standing in the back passage but only the door was salvageable. |The letter on the wall is a copy of a letter written by Francis in 1649 claiming his estate back which were taken away from him when he was a Ward of Court, due to his father and grandfather dying when he was a baby.

The panelling in the Oak Room was brought by Jane Hawksworth on her marriage to Francis Baildon in 1649. The portrait of Francis is a copy of a much larger one in Bolling Hall. We are shortly hanging a picture of his grandfather William Baildon which was an unknown portrait also in Bolling Hall but has now been authenticated as being of William. The other two pictures are of Francis's great granddaughter Henrietta and her son who was General Wolfe, the hero of Quebec. The Plaster ceiling is very ornate and the faces or grotesque s are reported to be of Charles 11, Francis was due to be knighted for his part in the Civil War but the honour was withheld for political reasons and possibly this was Francis's way of getting his own back!

Upstairs there is a panelled front bedroom where Francis is reported to have died, very mysteriously whilst quite young, deeply in debt. His wife and daughter cleared the entire contents worth any value and removed them elsewhere.

At the opposite side of the hall there is a fragment of plaster bearing the initials W and a date of 1618, originally the initials were WB but the B fell away, and would denote William Baildon and the design is a rough sketch for a ceiling panel. In a case there is the old game of knurr and spell, forbidden during the 16th century, this was found hidden behind a wall.

The hall was lived in for many years by the Baildon family, Francis was the last Lord of the Manor with the Baildon name to live here, his wife survived but his descendent were through the female lines, eventually selling outside the family. After his wife died the hall was occupied by the stewards for the estate, then later tenant farmers. The Lord of the Manor Colonel Maude died in 1929 and his executors were instructed to sell the estate including the hall.

The Hall was used during the 1939 war by the AFS as a Social Club and the present Baildon Hall Club was formed as a private Members Club in 1946. The members have carried out over the ears an enormous amount of restoration and maintenance.