Clifton Hall, Cumbria

Clifton Hall in the civil parish of Clifton, Cumbria, England, was a 15th-century fortified manor house which was home to the Wybergh family for almost 600 years. Only the tower block now survives as a small pele tower which stands on its own beside a farmyard, next to the M6 motorway.

History
Clifton Hall was originally built around 1400 in Clifton by either Elianor Engaine or her son in law William Wybergh, south of Penrith; the fortified manor had two towers, with a hall running across them. Around 1500 the three storey tower that survives today was built onto one end of the range to provide additional accommodation for the family, probably on the orders of William Wyburgh, Elianor's grandson. The ground floor would have comprised the parlour, and chambers on the first and second floors. The tower measures 33 ft by 26 ft, with walls around 3 ft thick. The windows are larger than in some of the other older peles, suggesting it may have been built with defence less in mind than in some earlier pele towers. Another hall was built on the other side of the tower in the early 16th century, followed by a second, larger hall on the same site around 1600.

The Wyburgh's fortunes deteriorated during the 17th century, particularly during the English Civil War, but despite losing many of their other lands they retained Clifton Hall. Clifton Hall was still located close to the Scottish border and shortly before the Clifton Moor Skirmish in 1745, it was occupied and looted by Jacobite forces. In the early 19th century the buildings on either side of the tower were pulled down and it became used as a farm building until 1973.

This site is a scheduled monument, standing next to the M6 motorway, and is in the care of English Heritage.