Clerkson Hall, Mansfield Woodhouse

Clerkson Hall and Cross Hill, 1970

Picture the Past

Clerkson Hall interior decoration

Entrance to Clerkson Hall, 1910

Frederick John Turner, land agent to the Duke of Portland, c1900

By Ann Sewell

This superb grade II listed building dating from 1631 is of squared rubble and dressed magnesian limestone, and was built by William Clerkson, the eldest son of Michael and Elizabeth Clerkson, of Kirton Hall. William had three sons and five daughters, one was Faith Clerkson, who, when she died in 1725, left money to found charity schools at Mansfield and Mansfield Woodhouse.

Fine decoration

The drawing room was particularly fine with a reeded frieze and oak linen-folded panelling made by Flemish refugees, and an ornate moulded plaster ceiling with strapwork and drop finials. Some of the hall’s walls are 30 inches thick in places.

The Beardalls

The Beardall family acquired the property in 1740 and retained it for not far short of 150 years. John Beardall, a farmer, lived there in the 1840s and by 1864 the family had started extensive renovations there. Mrs Marian Beardall lived there in 1869.

Estate Office

 The Hall was converted in 1880 into the Mansfield Woodhouse office for the Duke of Portland’s Welbeck Estates. Mr Frederick John Turner was the Duke’s land agent at that time. The 1894 trade directory shows George W. Boaler as chief clerk at the estate office. In Kelly’s Directory of 1928, Clerkson Hall was referred to as -- Portland Estate Office, 1 High Street, with the telephone number Mansfield 283. The land agent by then was Thomas Warner Turner and the surveyor was Henry J. Gower. Thirteen years later and Maj Douglas Warner Turner, JP, was the land agent and secretary.

Fishing permits were obtained from there. The Sixth Duke of Portland died in 1943 and Clerkson Hall was no longer used as the estate office.

National Coal Board

In 1948 Clerkson Hall was bought by High Street grocer Mr Joseph Jarman. Within a year he had sold it to the then National Coal Board for use as their central marketing office and comprehensive pre-fabricated laboratories were built in the grounds to form their regional scientific department.

The Hall, an adjoining cottage and the laboratories set within open grounds and mature trees, all surrounded by stone walls and occupying a two acre site was put up for sale again in 1989.

Subsequently the laboratories were demolished, and in their place, has been built a residential care home called The Limes. The Hall itself has been converted into individual apartments.

Sources:

Department of Environment’s Listed Building List.

Kelly’s, White’s and Morris’ trade directories.

Turning Back the Pages in Mansfield Woodhouse, compiled by Veda Kaye and Jayne Sheppard.

Old Mansfield Woodhouse, by David Ottewell.

A booklet by British Coal.

Mr Roger Eastgate, Mr Jarman’s grandson.