An article by Janet Senior. Archivist and author of The Markenfields of Markenfield Hall. There were at least seven children [four sons and three daughters] from the marriage between the second Thomas Markenfield and Beatrice Soothill in the 14th century. One of their daughters was Elizabeth Markenfield born around 1403. In 1415 a contract wasContinue reading “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.”
Tag Archives: Markenfield Hall
If we remove the ceiling…
We all know that Markenfield has its quirks – and its challenges – but who could have guessed that they might actually have built the house around a door! Known as The Dogs’ Entrance (or Dog’s Entrance depending on how many are in residence at the time) the wooden double doors leading out on toContinue reading “If we remove the ceiling…”
79 boxes
“A Mr Johnson of Ripon removed from Markenfield 79 boxes of evidence, 1 little coffer and 2 littell bagges by commission (and to deliver) the same into the Exchequer” circa. 1601 Markenfield is a house of may mysteries, but perhaps the most prevailing – and most vital in its history – is the mystery ofContinue reading “79 boxes”
As one door opens…
Gosh – who would have thought it was February when I last wrote about the Dogs’ Entrance Doors and the on-going saga of problematic pintle? A lot has happened in the intervening five months… The question on everyone’s lips must surely be – did it come off? Well, after a fashion it did – just not inContinue reading “As one door opens…”
The day The Beetles sang
If there’s one thing that we get through a lot of at the Hall at this time of year… it’s logs. With three open fires, and a wood-burning stove of epic proportions, the log shed is nothing if not well stocked. All the wood burned at the Hall is gathered from the Estate’s woodland –Continue reading “The day The Beetles sang”
Shhh… it’s a quiet week
One of the most-commented upon things in the Hall’s Visitor Book is the atmosphere at Markenfield – benign, tranquil – spiritual even. One of the hardest things to do is to maintain that atmosphere for all to enjoy. The Hall isn’t just a visitor attraction – it is first and foremost a family home, andContinue reading “Shhh… it’s a quiet week”
Seek and ye shall find…
Research can be a thankless task – especially online. You can spend hours looking through lists of searches containing the word Markenfield (now bear in mind the the Archive & Research Group have identified over 16 possible spellings of Markenfield over the years) and some days the most exciting thing that pops up is aContinue reading “Seek and ye shall find…”
Those who measure wealth in money alone…
It was a seemingly innocuous envelope that landed on the doormat. What it contained was not so. It contained maps and plans outlining a proposal for the “Markenfield New Village Settlement” a development of hundreds of new houses covering the farmland from The Old Mediaeval Road down to the A61. Accompanying the alarming maps was aContinue reading “Those who measure wealth in money alone…”
Timber!
At the beginning of 2016 it was decided that the large Sycamore trees that lined the side of the moat were beginning to look rather worse for wear. A closer inspection revealed that they were suffering from various stages of Honey Fungus. The trees at the north end were in a worse state than theContinue reading “Timber!”
The tattooed Pilgrim…?
It’s amazing how sometimes little snippets of information fall into your lap – watching the news last week there was an article about the National Maritime Museum in Cornwall, and a new exhibition on tattoos that they were putting on. The article itself was fascinating – and further information on the exhibition can be foundContinue reading “The tattooed Pilgrim…?”
We have a moat 