Busby Hall

File:Busby Hall in the 1600s.png

Busby Hall has been in the possession of the Marwood family since 1587.{{cite web|url=http://www.histparl.ac.uk/volume/1660-1690/member/marwood-sir-henry-1635-1725|title=MARWOOD, Sir Henry, 2nd Bt. (c.1635-1725), of Little Busby, Stokesley, Yorks. {{!}} History of Parliament Online|website=histparl.ac.uk|access-date=2020-04-21}} The current building was constructed in 1764 after a devastating fire destroyed a much earlier building.{{NHLE|num=1151369|desc=BUSBY HALL, Little Busby |accessdate=2020-04-21}} It is known that plans for a grander building were prepared by the preeminent neo-classical architect John Carr of York but were later abandoned.{{cite book|last=Fairfax-Blakeborough|first=John|url=http://archive.org/details/lifeinyorkshirev00fair|title=Life in a Yorkshire village (with special reference to the evolution, customs, folklore and legends of Carlton-in-Cleveland, this village being taken as a type)|date=1912|publisher=Stockton-on-Tees [England] : The Yorkshire publishing co. [etc., etc.]|others=University of California Libraries}} The constructed design was by Robert Corney.{{cite web|url=https://britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/101151369-busby-hall-little-busby|title=Busby Hall, Little Busby, North Yorkshire|last=British Listed Buildings|website=britishlistedbuildings.co.uk|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200707100136/https://britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/101151369-busby-hall-little-busby |archive-date=7 July 2020 |access-date=2020-04-21}} It has been remarked that the design of the house appears to be earlier in style than was typical for the time, but the reason for this or why the plans of a more fashionable architect were not used is not clear.{{cite web|url=https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/yorks/north/vol2/pp301-308|title=Parishes: Stokesley {{!}} British History Online|website=british-history.ac.uk|access-date=2020-04-21}} The house sits in the centre of a 700-acre parkland with a number of other listed buildings. These include the Grade II stable block located to the north and a Grade II* walled garden to the south east of the Hall.{{cite web|url=https://britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/101189298-walled-garden-to-south-east-of-busby-hall-little-busby|title=Walled Garden to South East of Busby Hall, Little Busby, North Yorkshire|last=Stuff|first=Good|website=britishlistedbuildings.co.uk|access-date=2020-04-21}}

There are several acres of gardens which surround the hall, which once contained a chestnut tree reputed to be the largest in England.{{cite web|url=https://www.gazettelive.co.uk/news/local-news/bbc2-tv-mini-series-parades-end-3671606|title=BBC2 TV mini-series Parade's End has roots on Teesside|last=Robson|first=Dave|date=2012-08-23|website=gazettelive|access-date=2020-04-21}}

File:Marwood Coat of Arms.png

The Marwoods had held lands in this part of North Yorkshire for a number of years by the time Busby Hall became their principle seat in the 16th Century.{{cite web|url=https://archivesunlocked.northyorks.gov.uk/CalmView/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=ZDU|title=Busby Hall Archives|website=archivesunlocked.northyorks.gov.uk|access-date=2020-04-21}} They were granted the hereditary title of Baronet of Little Busby in 1660.{{cite book|last1=Dugdale|first1=William|url=http://archive.org/details/dugdalesvisitati2dugd|title=Dugdale's Visitation of Yorkshire, with additions.|last2=Clay|first2=John William|date=1899|publisher=Exeter : W. Pollard & Co.|others=David O. McKay Library Brigham Young University-Idaho}} The Marwood family descended from Edward III of England and are related, through marriage, to many prominent aristocratic families including the Lascelles, Wentworths, Van Straubenzees and the Earls of Holderness.{{cite book|last=Ruvigny and Raineval|first=Melville Amadeus Henry Douglas Heddle de La Caillemotte de Massue de Ruvigny|url=http://archive.org/details/plantagenetrollo00ruvi|title=The Plantagenet roll of the blood royal; being a complete table of all the descendants now living of Edward III, King of England|date=1905|publisher=London, and Edinburgh, T.C. & E.C. Jack|others=Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center}} Notable family members included Sir George Marwood and Sir Henry Marwood who both respectively served as High Sheriffs of Yorkshire and Members of Parliament for Northallerton. Arthur Pierson Marwood, a friend of Ford Madox Ford, is likely to be the inspiration for Christopher Tietjens in the novel Parade's End.{{cite book|title=The Oxford reader's companion to Conrad|url=https://archive.org/details/oxfordreaderscom0000unse|url-access=registration|date=2000|publisher=Oxford University Press|others=Knowles, Owen., Moore, Gene M., 1948-|isbn=0-19-866214-9|location=Oxford|oclc=43070127}}

Considered one of the great literary works of the 20th century, Parade's End details the story of an ancient landed family from Yorkshire.{{cite book|last=Ray|first= Martin|title=Joseph Conrad : memories and impressions : an annotated bibliography|date=2007|publisher=Rodopi|isbn=978-1-4356-1290-7|location=Amsterdam|oclc=649903363}} It is purported that Madox Ford based the novel on both his then friend Arthur, a scion of the Marwood family, and their home Busby Hall.{{cite book|last=Saint-Amour|first= Paul K.|title=Tense future : modernism, total war, encyclopedic form|year= 2015|isbn=978-0-19-020094-7|location=Oxford|oclc=890377271}} Sir William Marwood, Arthur's elder brother is similarly considered the inspiration for Mark Tietjens.{{Cite book|last=Mizener, Arthur.|title=The saddest story : a biography of Ford Madox Ford|date=1985|publisher=Carroll & Graf|isbn=0-88184-187-0|edition=Repr|location=New York|oclc=63480284}} There is are several piece of evidence for this. First, it is noted that the parities between Arthur Marwood and Christopher Tietjens are highly apparent, Marwood and Tietjens both being talented economists and regarded for their stoic and 'honourable' characteristics.{{cite book|last=Moser|first= Thomas C.|title=The life in the fiction of Ford Madox Ford|date= 14 July 2014|isbn=978-1-4008-5620-6|location=Princeton, New Jersey|oclc=889251083}} It is also evident that Busby Hall shares many similarities with Tietjen's Groby Hall, including the location. In the novel, several references are made to 'Groby Great Tree' which is thought to be inspired by the famed chestnut tree.{{cite book|last=Saunders|first= Max|title=Ford Madox Ford : a dual life|date=2012|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-966834-2|location=Oxford|oclc=819516103}} It is also case that Busby was let for a period of time as also occurs at the end of the novel when the Groby Great Tree is symbolically felled by the brash new tenant.{{cite book|last=Rintoul|first= M. C.|title=Dictionary of real people and places in fiction|url=https://archive.org/details/dictionaryofreal00rint|url-access=registration|date=1993|publisher=Routledge|isbn=0-415-05999-2|location=London|oclc=27212714}} The similarities of the locations, characters and events of the book proved sensitive for Marwood who permanently broke off contact with Madox Ford.

• Grade II* listed buildings in North Yorkshire (district)
• Listed buildings in Little Busby

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Category:Grade II* listed buildings in North Yorkshire

Category:North York Moors

Category:Buildings and structures completed in 1764

Category:Neoclassical architecture in Yorkshire