Darnall, Sheffield, South Yorkshire

Darnall Hall was a large residence hall that was constructed in 1723 by Samuel Staniforth. The hall stood in the Darnall area in Sheffield and was originally the residence of Samuel and his wife Alethea Staniforth (née Macro). Prior to the hall being constructed, a much smaller building stood on the site, however the newlyweds felt the residence was too small for their growing family.

In Staniforthiana, a book published in 1863 by Frances Margery Hext, great-granddaughter of Samuel and Alethea, it is noted that the foundation stone was laid on 22nd April 1723.

In the possessions of Samuel's great-grandaughter Elizabeth Younge, a note was found:

He laid the first stone and she laid the second on a back corner, that cellar corner next way (or road) and corner as one goes from my gate to John Spartley's. He gave half-a-guinea and she gave two half -crowns; John Staniforth one shilling, and John has a house fronting this and in the line; it was day, about three o'clock p.m

The note, which bears no authors name, is likely referencing Samuel and Alethea in regards to the laying of the first stones.

It is very likely that the grounds on which the hall stood are the same grounds that the Staniforth's are recorded as owning during the time of Richard II. Frances Margery Hext herself quotes Mr. Joseph Hunter, famous Yorkshire antiquarian, who stated that the family are a rare case, as they are one of the few families that are recorded as residing on the same land since Richard II's reign in the 1370s.

The Hall was in the possession of the family throughout the 19th Century, passing down through the generations, it would appear that by the turn of the 20th Century, Edwin Wilfred Stanyforth (born Edwin Wilfred Greenwood), great great great grandson of Samuel and Alethea was the owner of the hall, however he himself was resident of Kirkhammerton Hall. He passed away in 1939 however by this time the hall had already been converted into the Liberal Club.

On the night of Tuesday April 20th, 2010 a fire was started which destroyed the hall. Since this date the grounds that contained the hall have remained empty, with overgrowth left to retake the land. The hall which Samuel and Alethea built 287 years prior was completely destroyed.