Brampton Bierlow woman's memories of old hall

AN ADVERTISER story about the redevelopment of a historic building has sparked childhood memories for one Dearne Valley reader.
Mavis McNeice with her daughter Jane Deakin who was born at Brampton Hall. 171512-2Mavis McNeice with her daughter Jane Deakin who was born at Brampton Hall. 171512-2
Mavis McNeice with her daughter Jane Deakin who was born at Brampton Hall. 171512-2

Mavis McNeice (83), of Brampton Bierlow, was fascinated to read our report on the work being done to turn Brampton Hall, on Manor Road in Brampton, into a new home.

Mavis lived in the property after her husband George got the accommodation as part of his work on a farm.

Now she has been offered a trip around the redeveloped building to see how it has changed.

Mavis lived at the hall in the late 1950s but did not realise it was a building of historic significance at all.

She said: “When we lived there I called it 2A Manor Road and a couple lived at the back part of it.

“It’s was a very nice place to live. It was very old fashioned inside.

“I just said it was a house on a hill and I didn’t know it was a hall. I said I should have been called Lady Brampton.

“There was no central heating. If I remember rightly, it was a good house. It had a large fireplace.

“My eldest girl said the other day: ‘Do you remember that large pantry?’. It had two steps up to it.”

The ancient building was first recorded in 1430 and has been renovated by Giles Brearley of Classic and Contemporary Developments Limited after falling into a state of disrepair.

One feature of the property which has now been given prominence is its old beams which form a major feature of the interior.

Mavis and George lived at Brampton Hall with their children Kathleen, David and Jane. It was when Jane was four that they moved away to Swinton.

But Mavis kept an interest in the building, even when it became a hostelry.

She said: “When it became a pub we went back to have a look to see what it was like

“When we went to look at the public house we could not see the beams. They were not visible when we lived there, it was ceiling.”

Mavis said it was a rural location when she was at the hall, which is very different to the surroundings today.

But she gave the thumbs-up to the new phase of the building as a home once more.

Mavis said: “I think it’s fine that it’s now a house.

“I was upset a few months ago when I saw it was being left to go to rack and ruin.

“Whenever I go by it brings back memories.”

Mavis’s youngest daughter, now called Jane Deakin, also recalled her young years at the building.

She said: “I remember my sister helping me to stand on a wall and seeing pigs.”

Giles Brearley said he was delighted to hear about Mrs McNeice’s memories of the building and invited her to go and have a look round.

He had done a lot of historical research on the building and hoped that talking to Mrs McNeice would fill in some gaps.

He said: “I would be interested to hear what the lady remembers. My history line is a bit thin in the 1950s and 60s.”