The Manor House, Main Road

The Manor House dates back to 1540 and has many fine features of that time. It is a traditionally constructed house on a full timber frame. The front door, an example of 16th Century workmanship, has a special preservation order of its own.  Inside the house there are many fine solid oak beams denoting some wealth of the original owner. Of particular interest are the dragon beams, rarely found in the Midlands. Some stone blocks used in the building of the house were probably from an earlier hill fortification and the stone floor is identical to the one found in Little Moreton Hall.

The Manor House would have been at the centre of much of the village's history during the last 450 plus years. It has been said that today there remains evidence of servants sleeping in the attics as candle holders and torch marks are still to be found on the beams.

There is a tunnel, reputedly leading across the fields from Haselour Hall, and the original well in the garden was only covered over in late 1980s.

In 1932 Emma Mary Webb, the last of her family and owner of the Manor House, died bequeathing the property to the Church. 

The village school 

The Manor House was a school for some of its history.  In his memoirs, the late David Grove (Frederick David Grove, formerly of Church Farm) gave a personal account of his time at the school: "Harlaston County Primary C of E was our village school.  It had 15 to 25 pupils aged 5-11" years had one teacher, Miss Knight, in one classroom.  They would put a screen across once a year for the top class to take the 11 plus exam.  There was a small porch at the entrance to the school and a room with a cold tap and a sink beyond the classroom.  He added "the only heating was a small fireplace with and a stove in one corner.  it would smoke the whole room out when the wind was in the wrong direction." 

David Grove gave a further insight into what life was like as at the school -

"Our school routine began with a warm up exercise in cold weather, roll call, a prayer, and then the whole school would recite tables.  The older children would work from books in the mornings and the younger ones had the teacher's attention.  In the afternoon the younger ones would paint, crayon or work quietly and the older ones got most of Miss Knight's time.  We all had games on Friday afternoon , rounders outside or quoits inside when it rained.  Our play area was very small and the ball often went into the neighbour's garden or on to the road.  Break time was spent in the porch on wet days.  We had wooden desks for two people with ink wells and nib pens.  The ink was made up weekly from a powder. The younger ones sat at small tables and mainly used pencils.  In spite of our problems our school had very good results with a very good pass rate into "big school"". 

He explained what it must have been like for the teacher, Miss Knight:

"Miss Knight lived in part of the Black and White house.  This had a scullery, a living room and one upstairs bedroom.  She did not require a radio as the neighbours through the wall were deaf and had their radio very loud.  One of her pupils went into her house and on seeing the oak beams said the house looked like a cowshed.  The Black and White house had three families sharing one toilet down the garden, one washhouse, and two staircases.

In 1969 the house was sold and was beautifully restored to its original style.

Grade II Listing 

The Manor House is a Grade II listed building.  It was listed in 1964 and the listing register states the following:

"House. Circa 1600 with C17 extensions and minor mid to late C19 alterations. Timber framed; plain tile roofs; brick stack. Main house of 2 framed bays aligned north-south facing east with rear wing forming a T-shaped plan, and a central eastern porch. C17 extension to each side of the rear wing, the northern one extends the full length of the wing, the southern one is shorter. 2 storeys and gable-lit attic, close studding with middle rail to ground floor, first floor all-round jetty with hollow chamfered and ovolo-moulded bresummer, square panelled first floor, 2 to eaves level. 2 windows, C19 patterned glazing bar casements, gables above first floor windows with C19 shaped barge boards and finials. Central gabled and close studded porch. with C19 shaped barge boards and finials and baluster king-post; inside is a heavy plank door with strap hinges. The right-hand gable has wall framing similar to that of the front with straight braces and a collar and tie beam roof truss incorporating closely spaced studs. The left hand gable has a tie beam and interrupted collar roof truss incorporating rectangular panels framed by 2 vertical struts extending from tie beam to principals. The rear wing and south extension are framed with square panels, the northern extension is framed with close studding and middle rail. Interior: 2 large open sandstone fireplaces with heavy timber bresummers sharing the same chimney stack; one is in the rear wing and the other in the northernmost room of the main range. Exposed ceiling beams in the principal range including dragon beams. "

National Grid Reference: SK2149910827