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Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Helefeld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 imminent anyway.

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

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SD85885561

Air Photo from Air Photo and general mapping	1st edition OS Map from Mid to late 19th century maps
Modern Map from Landscape form and features	Modern Map from General location and route planning
Geograph British Isles occasionally has photos of the site and will usually give an idea of the surrounding landscape.

Sources of information, references and further reading

This site's English Heritage (PastScape) Defra or Monument number is 45495
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is MNY21886; MYD3724 [ADS-YDNPHER] 'grey' literature, such as watching brief reports, held by H.E.R.s is often poorly referenced and is unlikely to be recorded in this website.

• Web site links
  • http://www.dales-castles.org.uk/hellifield.htm
    http://www.ecastles.co.uk/hellifield.html
    http://www.matthewpemmott.co.uk/2006/03/hellifield-pele-tower.html
    http://archive.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/1999/4/3/164486.html
• 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
  • Shaw, Karen and Francis, 2007, 'Hellifield Peel' North Craven Heritage Trust Journal http://www.northcravenheritage.org.uk/nchtjournal/Journals/2007/HellifieldPeel/HellifieldPeel.html
    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, 'grey' literature, unpublished works, etc. (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]