The Rudd Hall Estate (East Appleton) 

The significance of the Rudd Hall estate in my genealogical research is that as it was the home of  my direct line of the Ellerton family in the mid-19th century. Situated between Richmond and Bedale in the North Riding of Yorkshire - see map below - Rudd Hall stands high above a meadow in its own parkland, with a lake in front of it, and Rudd Hall Farm is about 100 metres to the east of the house.

The first known mentions of Rudd Hall that I have come across are two classified ads that appeared in November 1783 editions of the Morning Herald (London), as below, and [with slightly different wording] the Gazetteer and New Daily Advertiser (London):
"To be sold, for a term of Five Hundred Years, pursuant to a decree of the High Court of Chancery ... on 27th November inst ... IN ONE LOT ... A freehold Estate called Rud-Hall Farm, pleasantly situated at East Appleton in the parish of Catterick ... consisting of 160 acres and upwards, of good arable, meadow, and pasture land, lying together within a ring fence in about 10 fields or inclosures, well watered and fenced, with a good farm house and suitable barns, stable and other out-buildings, all in compleat repair. The Estate is well adapted for every species of husbandry, is fre from tythes of corn and hay, has some of the best feeding and meadow land in it, and is within one mile's distance of the lime kilns.
The whole is rented by Mr William Harrison, tenant at will, at the moderate clear yearly rent of 150L [£150], free from land tax and all other outgoings whatsoever, except a quit-rent of 7s. 6d. per ann. and is capable of improvement. The tenant will shew the premises, and further particulars may be had by applying to Christopher Goulton Esq. at Highthorne, near Easingwold ..."

Researcher Patsy Jennings' advises that her ancestor "Robert, son of Robert Hills and Sarah his wife, labourer East Appleton Farm" was baptised there on 15th January 1802. Robert senior had been born in Bamburgh, Northumberland, but did not stay in Yorkshire long before migrating south.

A list of 1807 voters in The Poll for Knights of the Shire shows "John Fall, gentleman" residing at Rudd Hall. Richard Ellerton (1775-1818) included "William Fell of Rudd Hall" as a beneficiary of his 1817 Will, and this is the first known connection between the Ellerton families of North Yorkshire with the Rudd Hall estate.  Researcher Sylvia Brooks advises that her ancestor William Wright was at the farm when his two children, Thomas and Mary Ann, were born in 1818 and 1823.

Baine's 1823 Directory of the County of York included a reference to "Rud Hall, a farm house in the township of East Appleton ... 2 miles from Catterick". The 1826 will of Thomas Barker stated that he was "formerly of Rudd Hall [Home Farm?], Catterick, then of Ilfracombe, Devon".

White's 1840 Directory of Trades and Professions shows Edward Ellerton and John Dunn, both farmers, resident at Rudd Hall, East Appleton.

Researcher Jehanne Wake has made the following observation from papers held at the West Yorks Archaelogical Society (Leeds): "John Humphries purchased Rudd Hall in December 1841 in secrecy on behalf of the 7th Duke of Leeds. There were various law suits in train at that time between trustees of the 6th and 7th Dukes, and between the Lane Fox family and 7th Duke, so this may have made it expedient for some reason to keep local purchases secret". Several holders of the title Duke of Leeds owned the estate for many years (1841 to 1934? - see The Times webpage), letting it - possibly only the farmhouse and farmland - to various tenants (including Holmes, Col.de Savary, Lt Col. Fulbert Wright Archer, and Ingledew) during this period.

The June 1841 Census showed John Dunn still living at "Rud Hall" with three servants/employees. The adjacent property, shown as "East Appleton" was occupied by Edward Ellerton, his family, and three servants. It seems quite possible that the latter property was actually Rudd Hall Farm, as an 1842 Tithe Map shows Rudd Hall Farm tenanted [?] by Edward Ellerton (as researched by his great-great granddaughter Dorothy Ritchie at the Leeds District Archives in Sheepscar).

The 1851 Census schedules for Appleton included:
#83 - "Rudd Hall", Thomas Murgatroyd and Catherine Walton, both general servants.
#84 - "Rudd Hall Farm", Thomas Dunn (65, annuitant/retired farmer) his wife Dorothy and a servant [Thomas had left Rudd Hall by 1859, when he was listed in a Trade directory at Patrick Brompton]
#90 - "E. Appleton Farm", Richard Outhwaite (51, farmer of 436 acres employing 28 labourers) his wife Elizabeth, children and servants (15 individuals in total).
#91 - "E. Appleton Farm", Edward Ellerton (66, farmer, co-partner of 240 acres, employing 6 labourers) his wife Mary, grand-daughter Eleanor Elizabeth, and four servants.

At the 1861 Census Edward Ellerton (1784-1870) was again shown as a "Farmer of 240 acres, employing 1 labourer" at East Appleton, along with his son Edward (1813-1865) who was described as a "Farmer - joint tenant". When Edward Jnr. died in 1865 (with his widow and children subsequently moving away from the farm) Edward senior was already 81 and would have been unlikely to have continued working on the farm alone.

The Leeds Mercury reported the death of "Frederick [shown in the Catterick MI's as aged 9 years], second son of George J Harrison" at Rudd Hall in October 1861. Marriages reported in the Pall Mall Gazette (London) included that of "William E Williamson to Edith, eldest daughter of the late George F Harrison of Rudd Hall" in July 1866 and "Herbert Carpenter to Elizabeth J., daughter of GFH etc" in January 1881. The Northern Echo (Darlington) reported the death of "Bernard de Logis, youngest son of William Edward and Edith Williamson" at Rudd Hall in February 1883.

In June 1876 the Northern Echo included a classified ad. inviting tenders for builders, masons, etc for "various works required in the erection of new farm buildings and sundry alterations and repairs to old buildings and dwelling house at Gyll Hall and Rudd Hall Farms".

The death of "Mr W Williamson, formerly of Rudd Hall ...an officer in the Catterick Volunteers ... aged 47", and the will of "Mr William Edward Williamson, formerly of Rudd Hall ... late of Ashbourne, Derbyshire, who died on the 12th September [1887] ... the value of the personalty is declared at £7,605" were both reported in the Leeds Mercury.

Bulmer's Directory of Trades and Professions for 1890 includes a Henry Smith, farmer, living at Rudd Hall Farm, Catterick. The 1891 Census return showed that the head of "Rudd Hall" was Elizabeth Barratt (widow, 45[?], born in Scotland, living on own means), with her grandaughter Alice Barratt (a "school pupil teacher", born in Catterick). "Rudd Hall Villa" was occupied by George Dale, a farm labourer, and his family.

Kelly's 1893 Directory of North Riding listed "Ingledew, Henry; Rudd Hall".  According to the current owner the house was enlarged in or around 1894. Cookes' Almanack of 1911 showed Col. Archer residing at Rud Hall [Dorothy Ritchie: "Lt Col Fulford Wright Archer"]. Researcher John Boadle has advised that Archer had retired from the army c1890 and died at Rudd Hall in December 1913; but does not know when he took up the tenancy or if his wife Mary Moncrief stayed on at the Hall after his death.

In 1934 Captain (later Lieut.Colonel) Charles E Tyson purchased the estate from the executors of the last Duke of Leeds. After the deaths of Charles and his wife Constance the Hall was sold in 1983 to the current owners Mr and Mrs Christopher Robson. The 40-acre Farm had been sold separately in 1934 to the existing tenant (Mr Hutchinson as at Feb.1986)

The Times included many citations of Rudd Hall between 1851 and 1983, and these can be viewed here.

The pictures below show the Hall (left and centre) and Farm (right) as they were in 1986, and were not significantly different when I visited the area in September 2007 (was it a very elderly Mr Hutchinson I met at the time?), although showing signs of years of neglect and in need of some TLC and restoration!

Click on the thumbnail below to view an O.S. map showing Rudd Hall and the surrounding area:

If you come across any more information about Rudd Hall please let me know!

Page last updated: September 2008