Name Suffix:<NSFX> of Bracewell
Bracewell Hall, Bracewell
Although within the county of Lancashire since 1974, Bracewell i
s historically a Yorkshire village. Bracewell Hall (now demolish
ed) situated approx. 2 miles from Barnoldswick, was the family h
ome of the Tempest family. One Hall builton the site between 148
5 and 1509, was constructed of brick, very unusual in this area
, considering the availability of stone.
The later Bracewell Hall a gothic styledbuilding (pictured righ
t) was demolished in the 1950's. The front elevation of this pro
perty, had analmost central three storey tower, with battlement
stopping the third floor, from which rose a steep roof into whi
ch dormers werecut. To the left of the entrance porch was a sin
gle storey castelated bay window, with three upper and three low
er panes one each side, and another on the front, from the top o
f the bay a steep roofline emanated.
To the right ofthe entrance, the house was primarily three stor
ey high with two bay windowson the ground floor, the outermos
t bay being two storey high and castelatedat the top, the inne
r bay being only one storey high, above which sat a pairof mull
ioned windows. All the windows on the third flooring, barring th
osein the tower, were built into high gables within the roof li
ne. In the centreof the roofline sat a tall round turret wit
h a steep pointed roof. During the second World War people remem
ber there being three lakes on the estate, onewhich was used a
s a boating lake, another (the top one) being well stocked wit
h fish, some said to weigh 31/2 pounds. After serving as a Count
ry Club in the 1930's, the Hall ended its Days as the offices fo
r the Rover Company. Anumber of ancillary buildings survive a
s private dwellings. Whitakers "History of Craven" tells us; "He
re is the ruin of an old Hall, built of brick, probably about th
e time of Henry VII. or VIII. and was formerly the residence o
f the ancient family of the Tempests. North of this are the rema
ins of a still older house of stone, in which is an apartment ca
lled "King Henry's Parlour"; undoubtedly one of the retreats o
f Henry VI".
This earlier Bracewell Hall, known as 'King Henry's Parlour' ha
s survived, if only as a barn. It acquired this name when Henr
y VI, after the Battle of Hexham in 1464, sought sanctuary ther
e amongst his sympathisers. He was captured in 1465 and imprison
edin the Tower of London until 1470.
There are records of the Tempest family living in the area as fe
udal knights from as far back as the twelfth century.During thi
s period, Bracewell belonged to the Honour of Clitheroe, howeve
rin the middle of the twelfth century ownership was transferre
d to the Honourof Skipton at Skipton Castle. 'The Tempest's o
f Bracewell' line came to an end in the 17th century, the estate
s moving into the hands of the Hindley, Lister, Riley and Weddel
l families. A younger member of the family Roger Tempest,secon
d son of Sir Richard Tempest, of Bracewell, Knt. had already mov
ed toBroughton near York by this time, and this Broughton line
, became the seniorline of the family from thereon in.
St. Michael's Church at Bracewell whichdates from 1100, was onc
e the private chapel of the Tempest family. Records show there w
as a priest at Bracewell in 1135, and other records at Fountain
sAbbey, mention a chapel being at Bracewell prior to 1147. Smal
l fragments oforiginal 14th Century stained glass depicting th
e coat of arms of families connected with Bracewell, can be foun
d in the window in the south wall of thechancel, and those in t
he North aisle. "The Vicarage House" Dr. Whitaker observes, "i
s a disgrace to the parish and Church of England - a miserable t
hatched cottage of two rooms only, floored with clay, and open t
o the roof.
Thegreat Hall at the Avenue du Maine, lent itself to displayin
g the biggest organs, like the one built for Mr. John Turner Hop
