TABLE OF DATES
71-74 Earliest Roman route between Chester and York using native tracks over the Pennines. Forts were built at Meltham and Kirklees Park with the route passing round the north of Castle Hill (Camulodunum (the "hill fort of Camulos")?). There is a possibility it then came down the hill through or close to Longley to the ford a Mold Green, then to Kirklees. (Source: Huddersfield in Roman Times by Ian A Richmond, Tolson Museum 1925, but considered speculative).
c1066 William I grants The Honour of Pontefract (204 manors) to Ilbert de Laci, including the Manor of Almondbury
1086 The Doomsday Book reports "Almanberie" has four carucates of taxable land, possibly four ploughs, and apart from woodland of a square mile the remainder is waste. The value is three pounds
1298 Anabel del Wood, widow of Richard de Beaumont held a grant of land from Henry de Lacy, Earl of Lincoln, comprising a messuage and 101 acres in Huddersfield for life
1312 Thomas Plantagenet, Earl of Lancaster, married to Alice de Lacy, assumed the Honour of Pontefract on the death of Henry
1322 Thomas rebels against Edward III and is defeated at the Battle of Boroughbridge and executed at Pontefract on 23 March. The de Lacy estates pass eventually to Henry Plantagenet, whose son became the first Duke of Lancaster in 1352. The hall remains part of the Duchy of Lancaster until 1629.
1330 Robertus del Wodde witnesses a deed
1341
Robertus del Wodde murdered in what may have been part of the Eland Feud
between the de Beaumont and the de Eland families
1342 Document
signed by Majoria del Wodde (nee de Beaumont) relieving Sir John de Beaumont of
responsibility for the death of her husband Robertus
1354 Thomas de la Wodde alive
1370 Willelmus de Wodde has a charter of messuages in Huddersfield dated "Monday next after the Purification"
1379 Willelmus de Wodde, described as a wright, assessed at 6d. in the Subsidy Roll of Richard II - the highest in the parish of Almanbury (sic)
1471 George Wood, the father of John, was involved in the "Hall Bower Murders", just a mile to the south of the hall. It appears he supported the Beaumonts of Newsome (his wife's family) in a dispute with the Kays of Woodsome. Nicholas Beaumont and his son Johnkyn of the Beaumont faction were killed, as was a Thomas Adderley of the Kay side. One Beaumont and three Kays were injured. The culprits suffered nothing worse than fines! Was it to do with the civil war or a family dispute? (The Hall Bower Book of Memories, 2000)
1475 John Wode born at Longley
1484 Lawrence Wodde, generosus, alive. Visitation of Yorkshire records the coat of arms of Wodde (argent, three fleurs de lis, between cotises sable, a border engrailed with the last) in a north window of Almondbury Parish Church. An inscription on the window read - Orate pro animis Lawrentii Wodde, Johannae ux., Geogii Wodde, Isabella ux. filiorum et filiarum meorum
1502 John Wode, generosus, married Elizabeth, eldest daughter of Richard Beaumont of Whitley, by special licence because of consanguinity
1506 Cecily Wode born
1508 Jennet Wode born
1513 William Ramsden born at Crawstone Hall, Greetland, Elland
1523 John Wodd assessed on lands of £10 0s 0d in the Subsidy Roll - amounting to 10s 0d tax paid, the highest by far in the parish of Almondburry (sic)
1524 Marriage between Joanna (Jennet) Wodd of Longley and John Savile of New Hall, Elland
1528 Johannes Wode sold to Thomas Kay for £40, three shops in Huddersfeld (sic), three closes in Huddersfeld and five closes in Almundbury
1531 Settlement between John Wodd of Longley and Robert Ramsden of Elland in respect of the marriage of Joanna (also known as Jennet and Joan, and now a widow) with William Ramsden. The deed was witnessed by Gilbert Beaumount, Thomas Beaumount, John Heep, Richard Appleyard, Geoffrey Romsden (sic) and "many others"
1536 Cecily Wode betrothed to John Appleyard of Longley
1538 John Wodd dies and directs his body to be buried before the altar of St Nicholas in Almondbury Parish Church
??? Cecily Wode marries Thomas Sayvill (Savile) of Exley Hall, Elland
1540 Thomas Sayvill agrees to pay Richard Appleyard 50 marks (a mark is worth 13s 4d) paid over 30 months, for marrying Cecily whilst she was betrothed to John. Part of the security is Longley Hall (later called Longley Old Hall). William Ramsden, Thomas Sayvile and Hugh Sayvell give a bond agreeing to pay Richard Appleyard £100 if Thomas defaults
1540? William and Joanna Ramsden appear to have possession of Longley Old Hall
1541 William Ramsden in the ownership of two fulling mills next to the King's Mill
1544 William Ramsden owes the Crown £800 for the purchase of monastic lands. Appointed Woodward General for all the woods in Yorkshire at an annual stipend of £6.13s 4d
1545 William Ramsden appointed bailiff and collector of the Manor of Tadcaster at a stipend of £3. 0s 8d
William Ramsden acquires property at Kirklees Priory, which he sold later to John Armytage
1549 Birth of Henry Savile of Bradley Hall, Greetland. Son of Elizabeth Ramsden and nephew of William and John. Sometime tutor to Queen Elizabeth, Provost of Eton College and Warden of Merton College, Oxford. Translator of Ptolemy, Euclid and Tacitus. Knighted by James I for his work in translating the Bible.
1550 William sells Crawstone Hall, Greetland, for £63 to his cousin George Ramsden
1554 Edward VI takes possession of William's lands for non payment of "divers and sundry great sums of money .... whereof the said William Ramsden became indebted unto the same late King" ie. Henry VIII
1557 William was committed to the Fleet prison on 28th May, by Mary I
1559 William was pardoned by Elizabeth
1565 William was outlawed for not appearing to answer a charge for the payment of a debt of £50. He ended up in the Fleet, but was pardoned the same year.
1568 Henry Savile, the Sheriff of Yorkshire (most probably a relation by marriage) ordered the seizure of William's land for the non-payment of the £800 owing to the Crown from 1544
1574 An Inquisition into William's affairs found he had undervalued his lands. As an example, the old Hall at Longley he valued at £8 6s 8d, whereas it was found to be worth £17.
1574 The future Sir Richard (Black Dick) Beaumont the first baronet of Whitley Beaumont was born at Longley Old Hall. His mother, Elizabeth, was the daughter of John Ramsden and niece of William. She had returned to the Hall to be with her mother.
1575 John Ramsden granted arms - argent, on a chevron sable, between three rams heads couped argent
1576 John Ramsden commenced building New Hall, now known as Longley Hall
1580 William Ramsden dies at London and is buried at the church of St Sepulchre without Newgate. His estate passes to his brother, John.
1583 Longley Old Hall is in the tenancy of a John Appleyard, gentleman ,who is most probably an in law of John Ramsden, for there is evidence he married a Margaret Appleyard of Longley. This may be the John Appleyard spurned by Cecily Wodde 40 years earlier. A deed sets out the arrangement for the marriage of John's son, Richard, to Elizabeth Crosland of Crosland Hill, daughter of Thomas. Thomas had to pay £150 to Richard. As part of the arrangement, John Ramsden granted a life tenancy of the Hall to John, then for the use of Richard Appleyard and his heirs. John Appleyard is granted "one parlor and one chamber" rent free for his life, save for the payment of eight shillings to the Queen"
1584 Inquisition by Queen Elizabeth into the Manor of Almanbury, which details all the property owned by John Ramsden
1591 John Ramsden dies and is succeeded by his son, William
1599 William Ramsden purchases the Manor of Huddersfield from Queen Elizabeth for £965 0s 9p
1600 William married for the second time - Mary, the widow of Henry Batte of Oakwell Hall, Birstall
1609 William Ramsden and others petition James VI for the foundation of a grammar school at Almondbury
1619 John Ramsden, son of William is knighted
1623 William Ramsden dies and is succeeded by his son, Sir John
1626 Sir John MP for Pontefract
1629 Sir John Ramsden purchases the Manor of Almondbury from James VI
1644 Sir John captured by Parliamentary Army at Selby and committed to the Tower of London as a traitor. In August he was exchanged for a Parliamentary prisoner held by the King
1645 Sir John was Colonel of the Third Division defending Pontefract Castle and took part in the negotiations for its surrender
1646 Sir John died during the siege of Newark and was buried at the parish church on 27 March
1671 John Ramsden, grandson of Sir John, procured a charter to hold a market in Huddersfield. As a result of this the market at Almondbury, which had been granted a charter in 1294, declined
1689 John Ramsden created the 1st baronet of Byram and Longley by William and Mary
1797 Sir John Ramsden, 4th baronet, High Sheriff of Yorkshire
1867 Sir John William Ramsden buys the Ardverikie Estate in Scotland. It is still in the family and used in the filming of the television series Monarch of the Glen
1885 Longley Old Hall restored by Sir John William Ramsden, the 5th baronet
1920 Sir John Frechville Ramsden , 6th baronet, sells the Huddersfield estate of over 4,000 acres to the Corporation, retaining Longley Old Hall and a cottage at 185 Longley.
1957 Sir J F Ramsden, of Muncaster Castle, Ravenglass, makes his Will and leaves the Hall to his son, Geoffrey William Pennington directing "him not to sell this property at any time because it was the foundation of the Ramsden Family fortune, full well knowing that this condition is not legally binding."
1958 Sir J F Ramsden dies
1959 Sir G W Pennington, 7th baronet, changes his name to Sir G W Pennington Ramsden
1975 Sir G W Pennington Ramsden sells Longley Old Hall and 185 Longley to David and Janet Bruce
1998 Christine and Robin Gallagher purchase the hall
2009 John Seymour, the 19th Duke of Somerset, makes a private visit to the hall