News from Ellys Manor House

A Hidden Gem

BBC's East Midlands Today realises this hidden gem within one of the countries most significant historic houses

Ellys Manor House (EMH) is without doubt, one of our most significant historic homes in the United Kingdom. EMH is not about bombast or bling, this is about integrity. The architectural language of the building perfectly encapsulates early modern European, British and Hanseatic League history, thus we are a testament to the Northern Renaissance. The house and the adjacent church tower were built by a member of the Ellys family, an English wool merchant of the Staple of Calais.

Ellys Manor House
A 16th century wool merchant’s home

We have mentioned in the past the ‘wool churches’ of the south east England, built by medieval wool merchants, but until recently have not heard of any merchant’s houses. We have assumed that these have either been destroyed or altered to such an extent that they are no longer recognisable. However, a chance meeting, just before Christmas at the Celebration of British Livestock, directed us to a house which gives a good indication of the wealth accrued by the 14th to 16th century wool merchants.

Understanding the allegorical language of the ellys manor house paintings

Part 2 Dissertation 2016
Robin Isabelle Moran
De Montfort University Leicester UK

Entry in The RIBA President's Medals Student Awards

This dissertation examines a little known collection of 15th century allegorical wall paintings in Ellys Manor, a small, privately owned and well preserved English wool-merchant’s house in Lincolnshire.