Parcevall Hall

Parcevall Hall lies just over the hill from Trollers Gill (see yesterday). It has an interesting history. It was originally a farmhouse, owned by nearby Bolton Priory. After the Dissolution of the Monasteries by Henry VIII in 1539, monastic assets were seized and the property passed into private ownership. During the 17th and 18th centuries it was owned by yeoman farmers, and one of them, Christopher Lowson, made some additions to the farmhouse. These and the oldest (pre-1600) parts of the house are in the photo above. Later in the 18th and 19th centuries, agriculture took a downturn and the house appears to have deteriorated until the 1920s, when it was bought by William Milner. He set about transforming Parcevall into a fine gentleman's residence and a comfortable home. He added a substantial wing, seen in the picture below, in the fashionable Arts and Crafts style.  

He also created a garden, remarkably, given that the surrounding land is largely treeless, high, limestone moorland. He planted trees all around the estate and created a series of substantial terraces, almost like extra rooms to the house. This blurs the boundary between house and garden, and then the severity of the stone is softened with planting. After his death the gardens deteriorated but have been nursed back to health over the last twenty years by a dedicated team of gardeners. The Hall is now used by the Anglican Diocese of Leeds as a retreat house. It's such a beautifully peaceful place to spend time.

The house and terraces face south and have wonderful views across to the hill known as Simon's Seat.