Norbury Manor is a 15th-century

Elizabethan The Elizabethan era is the epoch in the Tudor period of the history of England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I (1558–1603). Historians often depict it as the golden age in English history. The symbol of Britannia (a female personific ...

manor house A manor house was historically the main residence of the lord of the manor. The house formed the administrative centre of a manor in the European feudal system; within its great hall were held the lord's manorial courts, communal meals ...

and the adjoining 13th-century stone-built

medieval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...

Norbury Hall, known as The Old Manor in

Norbury Norbury is an area of south London. It shares the postcode London SW16 with neighbouring Streatham. Norbury is south of Charing Cross. Etymology The name Norbury derives from ''North Burh'', (North Borough). Some local histories note that ...

near

Ashbourne, Derbyshire Ashbourne is a market town in the Derbyshire Dales district in Derbyshire, England. Its population was measured at 8,377 in the 2011 census and was estimated to have grown to 9,163 by 2019. It has many historical buildings and independent sho ...

. It is a

Grade I listed building In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...

. The manor was owned by the FitzHerbert family from the 12th century, granted to William Fitz-Herbert in fee-farm by the Tutbury Priory in 1125. In 1444, Nicholas FitzHerbert and his son

Ralph Ralph (pronounced ; or ,) is a male given name of English, Scottish and Irish origin, derived from the Old English ''Rædwulf'' and Radulf, cognate with the Old Norse ''Raðulfr'' (''rað'' "counsel" and ''ulfr'' "wolf"). The most common forms ...

gave their land in Osmaston, along with other lands in Foston and

Church Broughton Church Broughton is a village and civil parish in Derbyshire, to the west of Derby. It has a church ( Saint Michael and All Angels) and a Methodist chapel (1828). Badway Green is a piece of common land within the parish.Commons Registration A ...

, to the priory to purchase the manor. The manor house built by William FitzHerbert in the mid-14th century is remarkably well preserved. The Old Manor is noted for its historic architectural features including a rare

king post A king post (or king-post or kingpost) is a central vertical post used in architectural or bridge designs, working in tension to support a beam below from a truss apex above (whereas a crown post, though visually similar, supports items above f ...

, medieval fireplace, a Tudor door and some 17th-century Flemish glass. The adjoining Tudor house was built by Ralph FitzHerbert in the mid-15th century and rebuilt in about 1680, but retains many of the original features. The accompanying gardens include a parterre

herb garden The traditional kitchen garden, vegetable garden, also known as a potager (from the French ) or in Scotland a kailyaird, is a space separate from the rest of the residential garden – the ornamental plants and lawn areas. It is used for grow ...

. The Hall was badly damaged by Parliamentary forces during the

English Civil War The English Civil War (1642–1651) was a series of civil wars and political machinations between Parliamentarians (" Roundheads") and Royalists led by Charles I (" Cavaliers"), mainly over the manner of England's governance and issues of r ...

and after the death of Sir John FitzHerbert in 1649 was in a ruinous state and fell into disuse. On the death of John FitzHerbert in 1649, the estate passed to his cousin William FitzHerbert of

Swynnerton Hall Swynnerton Hall is an 18th-century country mansion house, the home of Lord Stafford, situated at Swynnerton near Stone, Staffordshire. It is a Grade I listed building. History The manor of Swynnerton was owned by the eponymous family for seve ...

, Staffordshire who rebuilt the Tudor portion of the property in about 1680. The Fitzherberts sold the estate in 1881. Norbury Hall has been owned by the

National Trust The National Trust, formally the National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, is a charity and membership organisation for heritage conservation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In Scotland, there is a separate and ...

since 1987 and is currently used as holiday accommodation, having previously been let to tenants. The Old Manor, however, is open to the public on Friday mornings and Saturday afternoons during the summer. Junior branches of the FitzHerbert family had seats at

Tissington Hall Tissington Hall is an early 17th-century Jacobean mansion house in Tissington, near Ashbourne, Derbyshire. It is a Grade II* listed building. The FitzHerberts, descended from the Norman family of Norbury Hall, acquired Tissington by the marr ...

and Somersal Herbert Hall.

References

External links

The Old Manor information at the National Trust

{{Derbyshire Places of interest Grade I listed buildings in Derbyshire National Trust properties in Derbyshire Tourist attractions in Derbyshire Historic house museums in Derbyshire Derbyshire Dales

See also

References

External links