Roxby Hill manorial complex and associated ridge and furrow earthworks

Heritage listing

Details The monument includes the site of the medieval manorial complex on Roxby Hill, sometimes referred to as Roxby Hall. This site lies immediately to the west of Thornton-le-Dale, on the south side of the A170 Pickering to Scarborough road. The area around the manorial complex is surrounded by evidence of medieval cultivation in the form of ridge and furrow earthworks (the remains of the strips worked by individual peasants within medieval communal fields). To the west and east sides of the manor house site, these cultivation strips fall within the area of protection. The manor house was probably constructed in the late 13th century, on a new site west of the settlements in the valley at Thornton-le-Dale, on land hitherto under ridge and furrow cultivation. Its nucleus comprised a trapezoid embanked enclosure subdivided internally, and with the manor house situated towards the southern end, approached by a steep hollow way to its south. The manorial complex occupies most of the eastern half of the monument. The first manor house was constructed in the late 13th century and this was replaced by a new complex between the 1540s and the 1560s, at the instigation of Sir Richard Cholmley. This consisted of a major refurbishment involving the construction of a substantial mansion with a hall, a gallery, and enough accommodation for a large family and 50 or 60 servants. There was also a formal replanning of the grounds to incorporate boundary modifications, an imposing new west entrance and probably a garden with terraces and embanked garths. Further additions were subsequently made to the house and its wings which encroached on the adjacent garths. These later alterations may be reasonably attributed to Henry Cholmley (probably between 1586 and 1598) and also probably invo

From the Historic England List Entry under OGL v3.