Issue 37 Spring 23 WEB - Flipbook - Page 35
The Mansfield Parkyns era
According to the Rev’d Walter Buckland's History of
Woodborough (1897), John Ingall Werg 'invested
unwisely', and had to sell up. He sold the Hall in 1852 for
£4,500 to Mr Mansfield Parkyns, Hall Farm in 1875.
Mansfield Parkyns was the second son of the 5th Baronet,
Sir Thomas Parkyns, and as a noted explorer who had
spent many years in Abyssinia and Egypt is perhaps one
of Woodborough's most famous inhabitants. He went to
Africa after being sent down from Oxford University, with
the idea of walking across Africa from east to west, from
Abyssinia to the Gulf of Guinea. When he finally returned
to this country he brought with him his faithful servant
who always slept outside the bedroom door to guard his
master. Mansfield Parkyns settled happily in Woodborough and had eight daughters. Amongst his talents was
woodcarving and examples of his work can be seen in the
balustrade to the oak staircase in the Hall. In 1862, as Lt
Col Parkyns, he captained the Royal Sherwood Foresters
and as Commanding Officer to the 1st Administration
Battalion,Notts Rifle Volunteers which developed into
the local Territorial Army regiment.
document). He died in 1894 of an illness contracted
during his foreign travels.
It is quite probable that during Mansfield Parkyns
ownership of the Hall the staircase stained glass window
was installed since the shields of arms relate to the Parkyns
family. The window is three lights wide by two lights high
(a full description of each light is given at the end of this
After the Frazers left the Hall was passed in 1959 from
the Air Ministry to the Army. It was the official residence
of the General Officer Commanding, the 49th (West
Riding and North Midlands) Division/District. The first
G.O.C. to take up residence was Major-General Sir
The Hall was sold in 1895 to Charles Hose Hill. In 1917
Mr Hill set up a proper water system for the Hall introducing piped water from a reservoir in Stanley Wood,
which sits on a hill above the Hall. In 1923 the Hall
changed hands again, to Mr Hubert Dowson. It is known
that the Hall and grounds were again placed on the
market via an auction, which was to be held on the 6th
October 1937.
The Military Period
Just before the Second World War the Hall was
purchased by the Government to become the official
residence for the AOC, No 12 Fighter Group at
Hucknall, Nottinghamshire. Occupants of the Hall
included the famous names of Trafford Leigh Mallory and
Air Vice-Marshall R L M Atcherley and family who left
late 1953 for Washington and Air Vice-Marshall W J
Crisham CB & CBE and Mrs Crisham succeeded them.
Air Vice-Marshall and Mrs Frazer left in 1958 to take up
a post at the Air Ministry, Uxbridge.
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Conservation & Heritage Journal
33
