TREASURE IN YORKSHIRE

Shannon News, 7 May 1926, Page 4

TREASURE IN YORKSHIRE

AN ELIZABETHAN MANSION. It is probable that at least one of England’s historic mansions—and that a Yorkshire one—will remain intact in that country. Oakwell Hail, Birstall, has been looked upon with covetous eyes by many Americans. It is a beautiful Elizabethan • mansion, built in 1583, and is particularly notable for two things." It contains some very fine oak panelling, and it has in-, timate associations with Charlotte Bronte. The novelist spent many months there with friends who lived in the hall, and she made it famous as “Fieldhead” in ‘Shirley.* Recently there have been Renewed overtures from America for the oan panelling, for which nearly £3,000 has been offered. But the owners, represented by a heeds firm of estate agents, have decided definitely not to have the hall dismantled ’ The panelling will nort be sold to any American syndicate. It is possible that the Birstall Urban District Council may buy tne house and grounds, which would do used then as a “show place’’ and

parks. , The Bronte Society has been'actively interested in the fate of the hail, and financial considerations only have prevented it from acquiring: n to be used as a Bronte museum. It is tenanted at present by Mr. Philip Kcnqh . The great glory of the mansion is its banqueting' hall —a great stone-floored room where .100 men could eat in comfort. x Round the hall runs a gallery from which entrance is gained to the bedrooms. At the bottom of the steps leading to the gallery is a finelycarved oak “dog gate”—to prevent! hounds of Elizabethan days from getting up to the sleeping quarters The walls of the banqueting hall are covered by age-blackened oak panelling. The hall is visited frequently by tourists from the. United States and more than one millionaire from Chicago and New York has longed to see that oak panelling in his dining room. Lighting the banqueting nan is one vast mullioned window containing over 2,000 leaded, diamondshaped panes. Much of the original glass remains. And. of course .there is it ghost. Anyone who has heard the tale told in that ccnluries-old banqueting nan on a dark evening in the flickering firelight must believe it The ghost was seen first in 1084. It is said to the .shade of a former owner of OaKweli Hall, Captain Butt, who was killed in a duel.

About dusk on a winter’s day in December, 1684, a ghostly figure was seen in Warren’s lane. It entered the house, ascended to the gallery, and disappeared into a bedroom. And it left a bloody footmark in Unit haunted chamber! It may be that, trio glmst lias added to the attractiveness of the place in American eyes.