Acklam Hall

Acklam Hall is a Restoration mansion in the former village, and now suburb, of Acklam in Middlesbrough, in the borough of Middlesbrough and the ceremonial county of North Yorkshire, England. It is a Grade I listed building. [IoEentry|59736|Entry on imagesofengland.org.uk]

It was built by William Hustler in 1678. A long-held, albeit unverified family tradition noted that the Hall was subject to a royal progress by the then-sovereign, King Charles II, in 1684. It continued to house the Hustlers until the conceding of ownership to Middlesbrough Corporation in 1928. Since 1935 it has been in public ownership and has been used as a grammar school and a comprehensive school-known as Kings Manor School, with the addition of several modern buildings to the grounds. It is now one of the sites of Middlesbrough College, who themselves are expected to have relinquished the entire Hall estate - alongside its three other, present outlying sites - by 2009.

Internally the building features a magnificent main staircase with balustrade carved in spirals and helixes. The ceilings in the front part of the house feature many stucco decorations. There is a fine rose window in the roof at the top of the staircase. The front room in the second story spans the width of the house. It was probably a reception/ballroom originally, and has served various functions in education, most notably as the main library for Acklam Hall Grammar School.

Architectural details

Above the door are the Arms of the Hustler family, with the figure of a Talbot on top. This extinct breed of hunting dog became the emblem of Acklam Hall Grammar School. The front door has a short portico.

Historical note

Although the Hustler family occupied the Hall for 300 years, in the early part of the 20th century the estate was inherited by Mostyn Hustler Hopkins from his mother Everard Hustler, second wife of William Innes Hopkins, owner of a local steelworks and construction company, Hopkins, Gilkes & Co.. The Hopkins family fortune was destroyed by the association of this company with the Tay Bridge Disaster. It is therefore possible that the sale of the Hall to the town of Middlesbrough was in part due to this infamous episode.

Image gallery

The following images were taken during an "open house" held in September 2007.These images, taken at the same time, show the neglected state of some of the early 20th century buildings attached to the Hall, and of the East Quad.

References

* "Nunthorpe Man Ruined by Tay Bridge Disaster" [http://www.nowandthenmag.co.uk/spring2001/4.htm]