Langcliffe Hall

The history of Langcliffe Hall is closely entwined with the history of the Dawson family who have lived there for most of the last four centuries, this being their main residence. Extended members of the family have occupied other large houses at various times throughout the period including Bolton Hall in Bolton by Bowland, The Folly in Settle, Marshfield House in Settle, Hornby Castle, Townhead House in Stainforth and Manor Farm in Halton Gill.

But Langcliffe Hall was here before the Dawson family arrived. The local historian, Thomas Brayshaw thought the Hall may have originated as a Grange for Sawley Abbey (Salley) and certainly Sawley owned this property before the dissolution. It is thought that most properties in Langcliffe were obtained as a block on the dissolution of the monasteries by Lord Thomas Darcy. Later Nicholas Darcy 'sold' most of the land on 500 year leases mainly in 1591. The earliest date stone in the Parish is now displayed above the Hall's main doorway showing the initials of S (for Henry Somerscale) 1602 E.R.44., so the Hall is technically Elizabethan but the main early fabric is typically Jacobean in style. The Somerscale family also owned Stockdale House in Settle and had the living of Gargrave. This Henry Somerscale was a Giggleswick School Governor in 1599 and 1604, but by the time of the Hearth Tax Roll of 1674 there were no Somerscales in the district.

It is thought that William Foster acquired Langcliffe Hall some time between 1621 and 1627 as in the latter year his Lay Subsidy payment became the highest in the township. These Fosters were thought to be descended from the tenants of Sawley Abbey at Winskill, and who obtained the manorial leases in 1591 from the Darcy family. It is with the marriage of William's only daughter Mary to Josias Dawson of Halton Gill that the Dawson family first became involved with Langcliffe Hall.

The first Dawson we have dates for is Christopher, 1531-1625, farming at Halton Gill as tenant of Lord Clifford. This farm later came into ownership of the family and is still part of the Langcliffe Hall Estate today. In 1642 Josias Dawson, great-grand-son of Christopher, married Mary Foster.

Josias' elder son, Christopher was at Cambridge with Isaac Newton, and is said to have been 'visited by him in later life at Langcliffe Hall’. His second son William inherited Halton Gill and continued the line there. Josias' grandson, William Dawson (16761762) who lived at The Folly in Settle, married the heiress to Bolton Hall in Bolton-by-Bowland. William's second son Ambrose (1707-1794) thus inherited both Langcliffe Hall and Bolton Hall. He lived at Langcliffe Hall for a short while but then moved to Liverpool where his son Pudsey was in business. Ambrose's son Pudsey I (1752-1816) was mayor of Liverpool in 1779 and 1780 and had diverse business interests. When Pudsey Dawson inherited the estate he already had a town house in Liverpool and a country house in Bolton-by-Bowland, so only used Langcliffe Hall as a shooting box. It is believed that on his death Langcliffe Hall Estate (but not Marshfield) was sold by his son Pudsey II (1778-1859). This Pudsey Dawson had been involved with a long court case involving the rightful ownership of Hornby Castle, which was eventually won. It was he who renovated Hornby castle and made it habitable for himself. He was also a founding Director of the North West Railway and was recorded as cutting the first sod on 28th. September 1848, then there was a 'bit of a do' for 150 guests (recorded in the Diary of George Smith of Homby).

After Pudsey II's father died in 1816 Langcliffe Hall and estate was sold to the Swale family of Settle. Mrs. Swale died in 1860 and Miss Elizabeth Hutton Dawson of Marshfield, Settle bought the estate back for the Dawson family, re-uniting the Halton Gill and Langcliffe Hall Estates, as she was the last surviving member of the Halton Gill branch of the family and also cousin to Pudsey. Her three brothers, two sisters and an uncle had all died childless. She had been living at Marshfield House in Settle for many years, but had probably heard that the railway was to be built very close to this house, so wanted to move out. Elizabeth embarked on a major refurbishment of the Hall when she bought it, so may have inherited quite a lot of money from her relatives, or alternatively may have obtained a very good price for land compulsorily purchased by the railway builders, or both! She was a great benefactor to several of the local churches and other good causes during her lifetime.

The Hall probably originally had small mullioned windows and none of the rooms are very large. It is not a "grand" house as may have been built in other districts, but a modest squire's house. The stable block and coach house were added in the 18th. century. There was a major refurbishment to the house in c1860, when bay windows were added to the front, other windows were altered and a kitchen and other utilities added to the rear. The refurbishment also included internal features such as the Library shelving.

Elizabeth died 1866 and left the Hall to her cousin William Mosley Perfect Jnr. William had to change his name to Dawson to enable him to inherit the Estate in 1869. He died unmarried in 1900 and the Hall then went to his sister Margaret Jane Perfect, who also had to change her name to Dawson. She was also unmarried, so on her death in 1917 the Hall was left to her nephew Geoffrey Robinson, though her unmarried sister Katherine (known as Aunt Kitty) Perfect continued to live at Langcliffe Hall until her death in 1934. Geoffrey also changed his name to Dawson to enable him to inherit in 1917 at the age of 42.

George Geoffrey was born 25th. October 1874 the eldest son of 'Colonel' George and Mary Robinson of Skipton. In 1851 'Colonel' Robinson was involved with the banking company of Messrs. Alcock, Birkbeck & Co. at Settle, becoming Managing Director of the Craven Bank in Skipton. He married Mary Perfect of Langcliffe Hall, third surviving daughter of William Moseley Perfect Snr. banker of Pontefract and Solicitor in Blackburn.

Geoffrey spent his childhood at Dynley House, Skipton until his father built 'Overdale' on the Skipton‑Bolton Abbey Road. His nurse was a young Cumberland woman called Margaret Nicholson, who later became Housekeeper at Langcliffe Hall. Geoffrey's brothers and sister appear to have been less fortunate than he, three of them died early, while his younger brother Ralph was afflicted with a terrible stammer.

The next major alterations to the Hall were in 1936-38, after Aunt Kitty had died, when the front door was moved from the south facing side to the west-facing side in the stable yard, which had previously been the servants' entrance. The yard was also enlarged by demolishing an old cottage and moving the southern wall forward by 20 feet. The door on the south side of the house now leads straight into the gardens which were redesigned at this time by Sir William Milner. A new "Servants' Hall" was added at the eastern side of the house. Inside, the Oak hall was enlarged by moving the wall to the left of the entrance, and the reduced room to the left of that became a study for Geoffrey Dawson.

A telephone was installed and some bathrooms were also added at this time. The previous driveway access, which had come off the High Road between Settle and Langcliffe and traversed the parkland, was removed, so, that the main entrance was now straight off the main road.

Geoffrey Dawson was Editor of The Times from 1910 till 1942 (with a short break between 1919 and 1922). This brought him into close contact with the leading politicians of the day and he was particularly influential in the 1930s at the time of the Abdication in 1936 and the lead-up to World War II. Though business frequently kept Geoffrey in London his happier days were spent on his moors on the Langcliffe Hall Estate.

Geoffrey Dawson died in 1944 but his widow Cecilia remained at Langcliffe Hall till her death in 1969, though she also had a house in London. Michael Dawson, their son, inherited the property then but he died unmarried in 1975. The property then passed to Michael's nephew Robert Bell (who has not changed his name to inherit!).

In 1978 further alterations were carried out when the Victorian kitchen and the 1938 extension were demolished. The house has been a full-time home for Robert Bell and his family since 1988.

Recollections of Ina Hoggarth.

Ina came to Langcliffe Hall in 1927 aged 14 years to work as "House Parlourmaid" to Aunt Kitty Perfect. She arrived at Settle Station from Sunderland to be met by William the gardner with a pony and trap, but on not immediately seeing him caused much merriment by asking a local which number tram went to Langcliffe.

The staff at Langcliffe Hall in 1927

Head Housekeeper - Mrs. Nicholson (she had previously been nurse to the Robinson family).

Cook - Mrs. Thompson a Scottish lady

Young Kitchen Maid - shared a bedroom with Ina

Head Housemaid - Ena Davidson

Young Housemaid - Ina Hoggarth

Washerwoman - Mrs. Jackman

Head Gardener - William Kitchener

Assistant Gardener / boot boy - Herbert Hocking

Groom - Donald Green.

There was no electricity or telephone in the Hall. Gaslight was used in the main house rooms, but servants only had candles. There was no car, only a pony and trap. But when Geoffrey and Cecilia Dawson came up from London to stay, they would be driven by his chauffeur (Homer) and would also bring a parlour maid with them so the servants’ hall was frequently busy with the staff of visiting guests.

During the 1930s there were many distinguished visitors at the Hall particularly politicians, including Mr Baldwin the Prime Minister; Lord Halifax the Foreign Secretary and his family would come for riding holidays; Lord Trenchard the Air Minister would come for shooting parties.

Sometimes a minister's "Red Box" was sent up from Whitehall, London; it had to be brought to the hall from Settle, with a policeman accompanying the postman!

Lord Halifax, a very tall man, had been given a fancy green dressing gown by an Indian Prince. He gave it to Cecilia Dawson who had it made into an Altar Cloth for Langcliffe Church, and it is still in use today.

During the war the Hay family (Cousins of Cecilia Dawson) moved into the Hall, complete with governess and servants. There were also three evacuee children from Bradford.

Soldiers in transit regularly slept in the loft above the stables.