Saving Firbeck Hall

New Blog (Not Mine!) Well Written

2010-09-13T21:12:00.000-07:00

http://countryhouses.wordpress.com/2010/07/20/in-need-of-resuscitation-firbeck-hall-yorkshire/

If you hear how Firbeck Hall's new owner is restoring the house, please share it with me!
Awaiting word of what will happen and hoping for the best.

I recently was able to get a first edition of one of Henry Gally Knight's book's on architecture..

UPDATE ON THE NEW OWNER

2010-08-24T14:24:00.000-07:00

Firbeck Hall, about the new owner:
http://www.rotherhamadvertiser.co.uk/news/86656/campaigners-plea-to-new-owners-of-firbeck-hall.aspx

FIRBECK HALL SALE!!!

2010-07-13T21:03:00.000-07:00

http://www.firbeckhall.net/ Further information on the sale!

FIRBECK HALL HAS SOLD!!!

2010-07-13T20:19:00.000-07:00

I HAVE RECEIVED WORD THAT FIRBECK HALL HAS SOLD. MORE INFORMATION AS IT IS MADE AVAILABLE! I HOPE THE NEW OWNERS WILL GIVE THE HALL THE LOVE AND CARE IT DESERVES!!!!/Users/barb/Desktop/Firbeck Church 2.jpg

Sad State of West Lodge

2009-11-11T17:31:00.001-08:00

FRIENDS OF FIRBECK HALL

2009-11-11T17:20:00.000-08:00

THE "FRIENDS OF FIRBECK HALL" IS A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO WISH TO SEE THE HALL SAVED AND RESTORED! I AM A PROUD MEMBER OF THIS GROUP! PLEASE JOIN US!!!! HERE IS OUR NEW WEBSITE: http://fofh.wetpaint.com/?mail=1134

FIRBECK HALL

2009-11-11T17:14:00.000-08:00

HELP US TO SAVE FIRBECK HALL!

Firbeck Hall, situated on the edge of the village of Firbeck, is a Grade 2 listed building which over recent years has been allowed to fall into disrepair.
Urgent action is now needed if Firbeck Hall is to be saved.
Please help us by joining the “Friends of Firbeck Hall”
Friends of Firbeck Hall fofhmembers@aol.com

FIRBECK HALL FIRE

2009-10-12T09:10:00.000-07:00

News of the fire this summer, very upsetting for those of us who care about the fate of the Hall!

Published Date: 17 July 2009
A 'SUBSTANTIAL' fire at Firbeck Hall shocked and distressed members of the recently-formed friends group.

Temporary roof repairs have been carried out after the blaze last Friday, but the setback has not affected interest in the building and grounds.

Friends of Firbeck Hall committee member Sid Ellis said: "This calamity has come at a time when we are achieving some early progress in our campaign to save Firbeck Hall."

"Early indications seem to show that the fire was contained and the damage restricted to a relatively small area of the roof."

"However, we would certainly welcome an early and thorough investigation into the cause, together with a clear understanding of the true extent of the damage."

"We recognise that the fire is a setback, however the incident only serves to underline the vulnerability of Firbeck Hall and thereby encourages greater determination in our efforts to preserve it."

There are now more than 160 Friends - double the number when the group started in April.

Membership costs £1 a year. For further information, call 01909 732191 or email fofhmembers@aol.com.

"Report courtesy of the Worksop Guardian", the newspaper link is: www.worksopguardian.co.uk.

ARTICLE COPY

2009-01-29T22:16:00.000-08:00

Here is an article that appeared in the Rotherham Advertiser awhile ago about the hall:
U.S. teacher backs bid
to save crumbling hall

Report by HOWARD POUCHER

THE crusade to save an historic hall has been given long-range support by a concerned Advertiser reader—6,000 miles away in Oregon, USA.
School teacher Barbara Beck, from Portland, is directly related to the Gally-Knight family who once owned ancient Firbeck Hall.
And when she heard that concern was mounting over the future of the Grade Two listed building, she threw her support behind moves to save it.
Barbara, a single mother of four, fell in love with the crumbling hall when she visited in 2001.
Now she would like to see it restored, possibly as a country hotel or a living history centre with a cottage industry shop and restaurant.
She contacted the Advertiser after reading our story about fears over the hall's future.
Local history and conservation groups say it could be razed to make way for housing.
The hall has stood empty and unused for several years since it was bought by local construction firm boss Glen Saint.
Since then Mr Saint has refused to comment on plans for its future use—giving rise to local speculation.
Said Barbara, who lived in England for nearly three years: "My relationship with Firbeck Hall started several years ago when I went through some family documents that mentioned the hall.
"They came from an ancestor directly related to the Gally-Knight family, John Cruso. I also inherited some Crown Derby china that might have been used at Firbeck Hall at one time.
"During a trip to take a summer course at Cambridge University in 2001, I made my way up to Firbeck and had a chance to visit the hall, which I found to be in a disturbing condition.
"Old paint hung in threads off the ceiling and the estate showed signs of neglect and abuse. Threadbare carpet squares lay haphazardly over once shining floors where the rich and famous once walked.
"I visited several of the Firbeck residents and was very impressed with their warmth and concern about the hall.
"Touring it gave me a definite feeling of familiarity, with layers of memories from so many generations of relatives that had lived, slept, been born, and died in this incredible historical estate.
"My vision of the future of Firbeck Hall estate includes a well-run hotel or family estate, a school or living history centre complete with a cottage industry shop and restaurant, featuring excellent Yorkshire fare.
"I can imagine a future May Day celebration at Firbeck Hall as a regular event—not to be missed for miles around—with proceeds being raised annually for the Firbeck Church and area charities. But of course these are dreams.
"The hall's history is as part of the village of Firbeck. This ancient estate deserves a second chance to be an integral part of the community again. I know the villagers and many others are concerned by the lack of care of this amazing estate."
Roy Newman, chairman of both the Laughton and District Conservation Society and the Dinnington History Society, said: "The fear of people in Firbeck is that it could disappear in one way or another.
"It's a wonderful building, but someone could make a lot of money if it was not there and the site was available for housing.
"I would love to see it restored and used as a nursing home, hotel, or even converted into apartments, because it stands in beautiful grounds.
"We have voiced our concerns with Rotherham Borough Council, which shares our belief that the hall should have a future."

Firbeck Hall

2009-01-21T21:32:00.001-08:00

Has anyone heard how Firbeck Hall is holding up?
I have not heard much about it lately. I hope to roof is holding up.
If you have something to share, please email me at mistyrex@mac.com
I have a personal interest in the Hall because it was in the family for a few hundred years, lol
THANKS
Barbara : )

Saving Firbeck Hall

2006-11-26T00:48:00.000-08:00

Firbeck is a village in the metropolitan borough of Rotherham (part of South Yorkshire, England), on the border with Nottinghamshire, it is near Maltby. Firbeck Hall, goes back to possibly 1560 and was first owned by the first Queen Elizabeth. Throughout the centuries, Firbeck was owned by several families, including my own, the Gally Knight family of Langold, Yorkshire, for quite awhile.
The Hall was a country club in 1935, an RAF base called RAF Firbeck. later it was owned by the Miners Welfare Commission. Currently it is privately owned. If you can call it owned. The developer who currently holds that title cares nothing for it, in fact, he probably would prefer that it was no longer there... As this article in the local "Rotherham Advertiser" notes:
21/01/2005 Story By Howard Poucher
Concern for Future of Historic Hall
CONCERN is growing over the future of historic Firbeck Hall which local history and conservation groups fear could be razed to make way for housing..
The hall has stood empty and unused for several years since it was bought by local construction firm boss Glen Saint.
Since then no plans have been released for its future use—giving rise to local speculation.
The Advertiser tried unsuccessfully to contact Mr Saint, who in the past has come in for criticism for failing to complete a housing development in the picturesque village of Harthill.
The luxury homes have stood empty and unfinished for 18 years—and have now been slammed as an eyesore by local people.
Roy Newman, chairman of both the Laughton and District Conservation Society and the Dinnington History Society said he had serious concerns for the future of Grade 2 listed Firbeck Hall.
"At the moment the hall is in fairly good nick but it needs a lot of money spending on it," he said, "and there seems to be no plans for its future.
"Frankly the fear of people in Firbeck is that the the hall could disappear in one way or another. It's a wonderful building, but someone could make a lot of money if it was not there and the site was available for housing."
A council spokeswoman said: "This is a Grade 2 listed building, which means it is one of the most important in the Borough, and which at the moment is watertight and secure.
"We will be looking at it as part of a Borough wide survey of the condition of older buildings. As for the future, that is a matter for the owner but they will have to comply with Grade 2 listed conditions.

So how can this wonderful building with so much history be allowed to fall apart? The current owner has no desire to sell it or fix it up. How can anyone own a building that old, in fairly good condition, and just sit and watch it rot? No one seems able to do anything to stop it. What a tragedy for a historical Grade 2 listed building well worth saving.
Now all I need is a winning lottery ticket and a few thugs to convince the developer to sell it : ) Kidding of course.