SCROOBY PALACE

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DESCRIPTION

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Medieval bishops palace, thought to have been built in the 13th century, now demolished, no trace remains of the building, although the moat which surrounded it and some fishponds are still visible as earthworks

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[SK 6536 9086]. Site of Scrooby Palace [G.T.]; Moat [G.T.]. (1)

The manor House or Archiepiscopal Palace of Scrooby, was built of
brick and wood, and contained 39 rooms, including a domestic chapel.
The remains of the moat can be seen, but the mansion has disappeared.
The present farm-house may incorporate part of the building, or be
built from the materials of it. (2)

`The site of the palace is now the home close of a farmhouse. There
was a bridge and a gate-house at the entrance, and the area was
walled round in `brick'. (3)

The palace, at Scrooby, was constantly used by the Archbishops of
York in the 13th c. & 14th c., and remained in use until the
episcopate of Archbishop Sandes (1577-89). (4)

Archbishop Sandes caused the palace at Scrooby to be leased to his
son, Sir Samuel Sandes. The house has since `been demolished almost
to the ground'. It was standing 'within memory' 1677. (5)

Notes. (6)

Historical notes. (7)

Chapel in Manor House. (8)

The published siting symbol was not confirmed. This part of the
enclosed area is grass covered and hummocky. Some of these
disturbances, in conjunction with the remains of fishponds, can
probably be ascribed to landscape gardening. Others are suggestive of
concealed foundations.

There is no evidence to suggest that part of the former palace is
incorporated in the present farmhouse.

Some features, however, would seem to confirm that material from it
was utilized in the building. These include the remains of two 16th
c. windows contained in the west wall, which itself is built of a
thin "Tudor type" brick; and carved oak beams in the roof structure
of one of the farm outbuildings.

The house bears two metal plaques recording the site's association
with the Pilgrim Fathers. One, erected in 1920 by the Anglo-American
Society commemorates the 300th anniversary of their sailing to New
England. The other was erected by the Pilgrim Society of Plymouth,
Massachusetts, "To mark the site of the ancient manor house in which
lived William Brewster 1588 to 1608."

[See SK 69 SE/11] for alternative site of William Brewster's home.
See G.P. AO 60/10/5 for western aspect.

The surrounding moat is best preserved in the S.W. corner, where it
has an average internal depth of 1.3 m. The western and northern arms
are traceable by a single scarp only, except where it is obliterated
by Manor House Farm. This scarp varies in height from 1.6 m. to 0.6m.

In the east the arm is extant for three quarters of its length, and
has an average depth of 0.7 m. No trace of the moat remains in the
S.E. corner.

Remains of a bank on the counterscarp, of average height 0.5 m.,
exist, externally on the eastern, and internally on the southern
arms.The bottom of the moat is marshy in the east and south and it is
transversed by a modern drainage ditch. A modern ditch also abuts the
remains of the northern arm.

No traces of a gatehouse and bridge, or of an encircling wall remain.
A 25" A.M. survey has been made. (9)

Report of authority 9 correct. Published survey (25" 1962) revised.
(10)

SK 654 909. Manor Farm moat. Scheduled no. NT/65. (11)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 6" 1918-48

( 2) General reference

`The Bradford Antiquary', N.S. vol. 2, 1901-5, p 36-8

( 2a) General reference

Letters and Papers temp. Henry VIII

( 3) General reference

Trans. Thoroton Soc. vol. 9, 1905, p 7

( 4) General reference

`Episcopal Palaces, York', 1911, p.5. (R. S. Rait)

( 5) General reference

`Ants. of Notts.', 1677, pp. 479-80. (Robert Thoroton)

( 6) General reference

`Dom. Archit. Eng.' Pt. 2, 1859, p.225

( 7) General reference

`Bygone Notts.', 1893, pp. 233-249. (W. Stevenson)

( 8) General reference

`Trans. Thoroton Soc.' vol. 46, 1942, p.72

( 9) Field Investigators Comments

F1 RWE 02-MAR-60

( 9a) General reference

Homes & Haunts of the Pilgrim Fathers, pp.32 & 38, 1920. (H. Elvet-Lewis)

(10) Field Investigators Comments

F2 FDC 11-MAR-74

(11) General reference

English Heritage, SAM List, Nottinghamshire, March 1994, p 5

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