Wellgate Old Hall
Wellgate Old Hall was built about 1680 when it stood in its own grounds. When I was small, in fact even when I was in my teens, this used to be cottages, four if I remember rightly. I never saw inside them but as the old tenants died no new ones were forthcoming, so I presume that they were pretty basic. They also used to have gardens, certainly at the front. After a while it all became derelict. I believe that they tried to knock the hall down but were forced to rebuild it. There used to be a plaque with the date if the rebuild but somebody nicked the brass plate.
In 2006 Wellgate Old Hall has been taken over by the Citizen's Advice Bureau. It is very good to see the old place in use again.
Gwyn Hanson has been in touch about the old hall:-
"I have just viewed pictures of Wellgate on your website and thought you might be interested in a few facts about Old Wellgate Hall. My Grandparents - Arthur and Lucy Goacher lived at the hall when it was divided into 4 cottages. They lived in the second cottage from the left.
Inside the cottage the walls which were very thick were whitewashed and there was only gaslight - no electicity - grandfather said electricity was bad for the eyes!
The kitchen was very small and the sink was made of a a type of sandstone and had worn away so that there was hardly any sides to it. There was a large fireplace which always seemed to have a fire going even in summer. I think my grandmother cooked on this. The floor was flag stones and covered in pegged rugs.
The stairs were spiral and led up to 2 bedrooms. I believe my father and his 3 brothers plus 2 sisters lived in the cottage. There was also an attic. I was told the attic ran along all cottages with no dividing walls.
There was a long front garden but the back was only a yard - where the toilets and coal sheds were situated. Previous to living in Wellgate they lived in Templeboro where United Steels was situated, I believe on land which when being excavated for the steel works a site of a Roman settlement was unearthed.
I was born in Brinsworth but now live in New Zealand so I have not seen the old hall for many years."