Kimberworth Hall - Kimberworth Old Hall
Kimberworth was an ancient Saxon Manor so it seems likely that a substantial house existed here before 1066. There seems to have been two properties of note in Kimberworth. Kimberworth Hall was the hall of the Manor of Kimberworth and is Medieval in origin. Then there is Old Hall which was reckoned to have been built in the 17th Century. So why Old Hall was called 'Old' I don't actually know but I suspect that it might have been the original manor house, superseded in Medieval times and later rebuilt.
Kimberworth Hall
The present Kimberworth Hall which dates from 1694 was built around an earlier 13th Century building. The Lady of Kimberworth, Idonea de Vipont, lived here until her death in 1334, when the Medieval building was a moated manor. Kimberworth Hall later became part of the dower property of the Howard family widows. As well as the hall the manor barn (now a pub) and some other associated buildings still exist. The Hall was gifted to the council in the 1970s (when the Council was pleased to take responsibility and long before they realised just what it would cost to maintain them). The gift of covenant restricts the use of the listed monument to educational purposes. The hall is a Grade II listed building.
2004 I have read somewhere that the hall is deemed unsafe and that the Council staff who used it have been moved elsewhere. November 2004 the building is still unoccupied and deteriorating fast according to Rotherham Civic Society who reckon that restoration will cost hundreds of thousands of pounds.
May 2005 Kimberworth Hall was sold at auction by Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council along with two of Rotherham's grander Victorian houses. There was a considerable furore about this, with accusations of 'selling the family silver' flying around. The covenant which restricts the use of Kimberworth Hall to educational purposes is obviously going to be a major stumbling block to any buyer but I expect that this can be got around. The listed status is also problematical as any developer will have to liaise very closely with the council over rebuilding and repairs. However the expected selling price of £100,000 doesn't seem unreasonable to me and I expect that there are quite a few places you can tap for funds to restore such an old building. I understand that it has been bought by a developer with the intention of turning it into offices. More about this later.
February 2009 I have not received any details about the future of Kimberworth Hall from any of my usual sources. I have done a thorough hunt on the internet and failed miserably. Alison has been in touch in September 2009 to let me know that property was purchased by a gentleman by the name of Mark Furniss who is intending to turn the property into a home for himself. He has already done loads of major renovation work.
Besides Kimberworth Hall are the remains of old barns and a dovecot which are also in a parlous state but not, I think, included in the council's sale. One of the locals told me that these buildings had been derelict for years despite many people wanting to develop them, because of difficulties with access to the property. There is also the Manor Barn, now a public house and restaurant.
Kimberworth Old Hall
The other house of importance in Kimberworth was Kimberworth Old Hall. I have read that Old Hall was built in the 17th Century by a relative of the person who lived at Kimberworth Hall in a spirit of family rivalry. I have been able to find out little else but I think the house was demolished to make way for Old Hall School: an espondent thinks that it was demolished long before back in the 19th century. John has been in touch and advise me that the Old Hall was demolished in the 1960s because it was in a dangerous state and that the church hall was built on the site.
The associated farmhouse and barns have been converted into houses.