The Gatehouse website record for Melmerby Hall

In the civil parish of Ousby. In the historic county of Cumberland (Modern Authority of Cumbria, 1974 county of Cumbria).

Grade 2 listed house on site of early C14 tower.
The hall range is late C16 according to surveys of the building in 1930 and 1994. A `fort' (probably tower) is recorded here in 1315 when it was to be provided with men and victuals and safely guarded. This tower was probably demolished and replaced by the 1794 wing. (PastScape–ref. Perriam and Robinson)
In about 1322 it is recorded that 'John de Denum kept a garrison of twelve men at his tower of Melmerby', however, see King (2007) about this expenses claim. As I read the petition John was petitioning for a garrison of 12 men but had previous kept the tower with an unspecified force. In effect he was petitioning for a sum in excess of £200 p.a. (much over his own expected annual income). The endorsement was 'Take advice on any marriage, wardship or farm and certify to the king therein, and he by good council will make any award by which he has the power to better keep [the tower] to the saving of the land.' This does not suggest to me that the petition was certainly granted and the tower garrisoned although it seems likely Denum got some funding. In another petition of about the same time (SC8/105/5206) Denum is described as king's sergeant and was asking for the expenses due to him whilst on the king's service.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is NY611373

Sources of information, references and further reading

This site's English Heritage (PastScape) Defra or Monument number is 509687
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is 5642 '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.

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. All the sources given should be consulted to identify the original copyright holder and permission obtained from them before use of the information on this site for commercial purposes. I do not receive any income from this site and I fund it myself.
The bibliography owes much to various bibliographies produced by John Kenyon for the Council for British Archaeology, the Castle Studies Group and others.

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.

Please help me to make this as useful a resource as possible by contacting me if you see errors or if you can add information.
I do acknowledge the help I get with this site.

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