Clumpcliffe Farm House, front view.
Old photo.
Originally known as Clubcliffe. 'Klubb' = hump or heap, so, as the house
stands on a ridge, the name possibly describes its position. At the close
of the 16th century Clumpcliffe changed owners several times and the original
documents are still in existence describing these transactions.
In 1558 it was in the possession of the Farrer family. 1601 brought about
a change of ownership to Rev. Edward Ashton, and was then held by various
members of the Ashton family.
In November 1691 John Savile (Lord of the Manor) purchased Clubbcliffe
Estate from Edward Frank Ashton.
The present building is 17th century or earlier and still retains many
old characteristics, though altered by the early addition of a front wing
and again in the 18th. It follws a rectangular 3-unit plan with a short
wing at the junction of the 2nd and 3rd wing. It has a porch at the right
hand gable and a turret at the rear left hand corner. There are two storeys
and an attic. Mullioned and transomed windows are on both floors. At the
right hand gable, and set back slightly is a short extension of 2 lower
storeys, with a Tudor arched chafered doorway in the gable wall and large
chimney stack. It has stone walls and a Yorkshire stone roof. The interior
has fine moulded ceiling beams, two interior stairways, a long connecting
passage on the upper floor and a stepped chimney stack. In the 3rd unit
is a very large stone arched firplace (blocked); there are massive beams
on the inner side of the long walls (suggesting former timber-framed construction)
and moulded beams, especially in the centre unit; there arch-braced roof
trusses; otherwise altered and partition walls inserted.
At one time it was thought it may have been a Dower house for Mexborough
Dowagers; there was a tree-lined walk from Clumpcliffe to Methley Hall
before open-cast coal mining began near there in the 1950s. The old estate
had extensive lands and the house is adjacent to the old boundary between
the Oulton and Methley Manors, known locally as the Parting of the
Manors.
Clumpcliffe House, front view 1982. Still retains many old characteristics.
East gable of Clumpcliffe Farm House.
The east gable of Clumpcliffe House, showing the old exterior stepped
chimney stack. The chimney itself was built of brick and was added at
a later date.
