In 1553 the Knaith Estate passed to William, first Lord Willoughby of Parham, and the house became the family's principal residence. If they did not build the present hall then, the Willoughbys substantially refurbished an earlier house, from which 15th century brickwork is said to survive in the present cellars. There were early 17th century alterations to the house, and other work suggests a major estate reorganisation took place at this time. At the end of the 17th century Knaith passed by marriage to the Berties, Earls of Abingdon; it was sold to Richard Dalton in 1761. He and his son Henry were certainly responsible for the late 18th century alterations to the hall which made it again a place of note. In 1826 Knaith was sold to the Huttons and became part of their Gate Burton estate. {1} Knaith Hall was perhaps built by one of the late 16th century owners, Lord Willoughby of Parham or Thomas Sutton of the Charterhouse. There is just one long wing with four chimneystacks on the east front. There seems to have been a late Georgian re-fenestration and the canted bay is also late Georgian. Then the Victorians added the pleasing black and white half timbering which is oddly alien to the County but inspired perhaps from nearby Gainsborough Old Hall. With the proximity of the chapel and the lawns sloping down to the Trentside, it is still, as Lord Torrington wrote in 1791, 'in a great rurality of taste'. {2} For the full description and the legal address of this listed building please refer to the appropriate List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest. {1} Knaith Hall, Knaith. Extant Medieval farmstead. Regular courtyard with L-plan range plus detached buildings to the third side of the yard. The farmhouse is detached from the main working complex. Located within a Church and/or Manor farm group. {4}