# Newlands Hall & village buildings, Wakefield



## Canonite (Nov 26, 2008)

We used to play in this place when we were kids, dubbing it ghost town due to the several buildings, houses and ruins at the site. I'd never done any research on it although i had heard whispers suggesting links to the Knights Templar.

Upon doing my own digging around i found out a local historian has just released title deeds which he has held for almost 40yrs. The deeds, dating from the 12th and 13th centuries, show the generous tracts of land held by this once powerful military order, which was suppressed in the early 1300s on orders from the Pope. Included in these deeds are several properties and farms at Newlands including Newlands Hall, The Coach House, several farms and outbuildings.

Today, only the Hall, the Coach House and ruins remain. The farmer who owned the land used them throughout the 1960s and 70s. We were fortunate enough to bump into a really old guy walking his dog who used to live and work there in his younger days. He took us into a few of the buildings and told us what they were used for and where everything used to be. It was fascinating. 
Also the mine shafts of St Johns Colliery and Park Hill Colliery ran underneath which caused caused subsidence, resulting in crumbling buildings. Evidence of this was pointed out by the old bloke who said strengthening work was carried out by the pit, used St Johns Colliery bricks, where as the later building of buildings and houses used Normanton Brick Company bricks.

A population census recorded a polulation of 78 inhabitants in the year of 1861, dropping down to 41 by 1931 and down to 9 people in 1971. Since then population has been 0.
I do know travellers were using the site, we used to ride through it on our cycle rides. They basically stripped all the huge slabs of Yorkshire stone from the Hall and the coach house, they also took the roof stone too and much of the stone which made up the perimeter walls.

Anyway, i wont fill this thread with too much rambling. I'll just stick some images up, literally straight from the camera:

























































....and a few HDRs of the old houses:




















































So then i buggered off home for tea and scones 

Hope you enjoy this as its my first real report.


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## skittles (Nov 26, 2008)

Great photos straight from the camera the way it should be

Ta ffor the ramblings too, interesting

hope the scones were good


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## Foxylady (Nov 26, 2008)

Interesting site and history/info. Fabulous pics...love the brick and stone colours in the sunshine. Cool find. 

Did you have jam and cream with them?


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## Canonite (Nov 26, 2008)

Foxylady said:


> Interesting site and history/info. Fabulous pics...love the brick and stone colours in the sunshine. Cool find.
> 
> Did you have jam and cream with them?



Oh fo sho! Post-explore afternoon tea is just the ticket


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## Seahorse (Nov 26, 2008)

I do like this a lot. I wish I was nearer.

Hmmm. Perhaps Mrs Seahorse would be amenable to a "slight" detour next time we pop down to see our lad in Hull.


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## escortmad79 (Nov 26, 2008)

What a cracking site


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## smileysal (Nov 26, 2008)

What a fantastic place, I love all of it. Really love the remains of the old hall, bet that was beautiful in it's day, and the rest of the building, a real allsorts type of place. Different aged buildings all around by the looks of it. Excellent pics, and really like the information at the start.

Really, really do like this. 

Cheers,

 Sal


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## spacepunk (Nov 27, 2008)

Looks like Bart Simpson Pic 13.


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## Canonite (Nov 27, 2008)

spacepunk said:


> Looks like Bart Simpson Pic 13.



Haha. Never spotted that. It's worth having a snoop round if you're local. It's not easy to get to as it's a bit remote and you WILL get muddy. That aside, it's fun


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