Clayton Hall Grimsby Lincolnshire
Clayton Hall is something that cropped up in our look at St Mary’s Church in Grimsby and Neville Sisson has kindly sent in an old drawing of the building so here is our initial research in Clayton Hall in Grimsby Lincolnshire
Initial pickings were/are looking a little sparse (a Google search showed me as the #1 result 
) The picture I’d like to build is an exact location, date ranges from build to demolition and who lived there.
Information is probably going to be in snippet form with conclusions to be made as and when possible.
The Clayton family were a big name in Grimsby and I think that Christopher Clayton was the son of George Clayton, died 4th October 1716 and buried at St James, who seems to have been something of a character.
We have evidence that when the hall was demolished ‘Yarborough Terrace’ was built on the land and here is another snippet that refers to that.
Yarborough Terrace was built on the site of a rather handsome mansion, the residence of Christopher Clayton
Christopher was born 12 February 1721 and an Attested Copy of Codicil of his will dates 25 August 1793 - this gives us some idea of date.
The last owner of the hall was one Squire Marshall who sold it to Lord Yarborough on the understanding it was demolished as he didn’t want anyone to live in after him (source: A Gossip about old Grimsby by Bates)
That brings us neatly to the book by Anderson Bates, A Gossip about old Grimsby
The British Library dates the first edition of this book to 1893 so presuming the author uses a time somewhere near that we can perhaps garner something from his present tense date referrals.
The mansion was pulled down about fifty years ago
In the last century, the mansion had an uninterrupted view to the Humber, and occupied with it was the garden, containing the old elms,
extending to the West branch of the Haven, (not as it now appears,) over which was a rustic bridge into the fields beyond.
Clayton Hall
George Skelton’s drawing from ‘Old Grimsby’ by Rev. George Shaw 1897
The Exact Location of Clayton Hall
I’d like to pinpoint this on a map, there are some clues. It stood ‘a few yards down the street’ from the site of the church of St. Mary’s
We also know that Yarborough Terrace was built on the site.
I’ll add to this article as and when and hopefully more information will come to light in the comments that follow.
If you know of anything at all connected to the hall please do leave a comment or drop me an email should you prefer
All the best
Rod
Amiguru said,
December 18, 2009 @ 4:09 pm
Rod,
Rumour has it, (courtesy of one Bob Lincoln
writing circa 1913), that “A casual glance at the photo of Clayton Hall should be quite sufficient to prove that as a building it must have been distinctly above the average, both architecturally and otherwise. It was situated on the plot of land occupied by Smiths Bank and The General Post Office, having a frontage in the old days to Baxtergate, and the rear faced the turnpike road, now known as Osborne Street. Tradition has it that it was built by one Christopher Clayton, who resided there some one and three quarter centuries ago. Squire Marshall, rather than allow it to pass into other hands, sold it to Lord Yarborough on condition that it was pulled down. Possibly it may be of interest to know that the late Town Clerk’s wife was born there. When it was pulled down, Yarborough Terrace was built upon it and the trees and those on the opposite side of Baxtergate formed an attractive avenue, but with the rapid growth of the town they disappeared to the regret of all who liked to see nature at its best…………”
With some reservations,
le
N
Amiguru said,
December 19, 2009 @ 12:19 pm
Rod,
In October 1714 Christopher Clayton had the honour to kiss the new king’s hand. i.e. George I.
In fealty and homage, (but I’m not going to kiss your hand!)
le
N