Backhall, Siddal

The sketch and description were originally published in The Halifax Courier in 1912-1913. The house was built in 1668 by Thomas Hanson upon the site of an ancient homestead that existed in the 13th century. The structure is in excellent preservation and externally is much as when first erected. The three frontal gables are of equal proportions and not only capped with the stone ornament common to buildings of this type but bear similar features in the hollow of each gable. Though the original leaded panes have long since been removed the original heavy mullions are intact. There are various carvings, such as ‘Nunc mea, mox hujus, postea nescio cujus’, a Greek text of which the translation is ‘He that loveth houses or lands more than Me is not worthy of Me’ and ‘Coelum non solum’, ‘Heaven not earth’. Above the latter lettering, still plainly discernible, the Hanson arms are carved. They are surrounded by a border in which appear the arms of the various families with whom they were connected by marriage. Four tenants now occupy the old hall. PH/28.