Silksworth, medieval hall

It is thought that there was a medieval mansion house built on the current site of Silksworth Hall. Remains of Tudor style were apparently discovered in 1905 when the present hall was being built by Robert Doxford. Lewin's survey of the Silksworth Estate 1714 and the Tithe Map of 1842 show a large house which pre-dates this existing one. That on Lewin's map is some distance to the west of the present one. The building on the Tithe Map is 'H' shaped. The hearth tax of 1662 indicates that two properties were big enough to have had five hearths. One of these was the house of George Middleton. Silksworth had been passed to Sir John Middleton of Belsay from Sir Robert de Umfraville in the late 14th or early 15th century. In the 17th century William Ettrick and his wife Ann Middleton lived at Silksworth Hall. One of their daughters married into the Robinson family and the hall remained in the Robinson family until the 1900s when Robert Doxford bought it, demolished it and built the building that survives today (HER 7198). Thus there have possibly been three halls in Silksworth - a Tudor Manor House, an 18th century hall and the present building.