York Historic Environment Record

House. Dated 1680 above doors with later additions and alterations including C19 kitchen wing to right. Attributed to John Etty for Sir John Hewley. Pinkish-orange brick with ashlar dressings, rendered basement and slate roof. Double pile Carolean house. 2 storeys with basement and attic, 5 bays, with 3-bay returns and recessed single storey, single-bay wing. Quoins. Basement. 2-light mullion windows with casements. Cyma reversa hoods. Ashlar ground-floor band. Central flight of steps (with cast-iron boot scrapers) which interupts basement to C19 glazed double doors with 8-pane overlight in eared architrave within pilastered doorcase with acanthus consoles supporting broken segmental pediment containing early C20 sundial. 12-pane sashes to ground and first floors with moulded sills and beneath flat arches of red rubbed brick, and with ashlar keystones to ground floor. Window bays project slightly. Moulded first floor band projecting as cornice over windows. Lead rainwater heads and fall-pipes. Timber cornice. 3 pedimented roof dormers with 6-pane sashes. Hipped roof with central well. Left return is similar with late C19 central flight of steps surmounted by earlier ball finials and urns to 8-fielded-panel door in similar surround. Rear similar but with no door. Right return has two original windows to first floor. Fine interior survives throughout and includes bolection moulded panelling to most rooms, that to first floor sitting room has mainly C17 and C18 paintings to panels. Study to ground floor has 2 C17 over-door paintings on panels. Framed newel staircase has onion-on-vase balusters. Rear dog-leg service staircase has vase balusters. Entrance hall: Elizabethan overmantel with some alterations and additions brought from Deighton Hall c.1890. Further late C17 and some C18 fireplaces to most rooms including overmantel to ground floor left hand room with carved fruit and foliage reputed to be by Etty and brought (c.1750) from a house in Saint Saviourgate, York. Some rooms have embellished cornices. 6- and 8-panel doors to most rooms. Ground floor windows have shutters. Priest's hole to green bedroom. Sources: Country Life, 17th June, 1922. Linstrum, D., West Yorkshire Architects and Architecture, 1978, p.376. Pevsner, N., Yorkshire, York and The East Riding, 1978, p.314.
Listing NGR: SE5996643747

Derived from English Heritage LB download dated: 22/08/2005

NMR Information:

(SE 59974375) Bell Hall (NR) (1)

Bell Hall was built for Sir John Hewley in 1680. It is a two
storey red brick house with basement and attic. Grade 1. (2)

Bell Hall. Built in 1680, and a perfect example of its date. Five
by three bays, brick with stone quoins, two storeys, hipped roof.
There are two doorways, identical in sunk panels of the pilasters
and big juicy leaf corbels. But one pediment (front) is
segemental - open, the other (side) triangular open.

Pevsner, N (1972) Yorkshire: York and The East Riding.

Description and Published Survey (1:2500) correct. (3)

1 Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date) OS 6" 1969
2 List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest DOE (HHR) Derwent RD Yorks ER Nov 1965 19
3 Field Investigators Comments F1 ISS 07-MAR-86