PRN 53158 A Manor house (formerly a Monastic grange) grange owned by the Grantham family, who are first mentioned as owning land in Dunholme in 1452. The house consisted of two wings running west and south forming a right angle, and was located by the road to Scothern within the western half of the study area. A susbstantial residence (perhaps the old manor house) later occupied by the Andersons and demolished in 1898. A report that it was moated could refer to the formal gardens of which nothing now remains. The stone from the 1898 demolition was reused in the construction of Grange Farm, itself demolished in 1990. {1} Kirkstead priory maintained a grange in the parish until the dissolution in 1537. In the Kirkstead Abbey valuation of 1537, the grange of Dunholm is mentioned as containing 10 oxgangs (between 40 and 100 hectares) and was leased to Vincent Grantham for 80 years at a rent of 66s.8d. Prior to the dissolution of the monasteries, Dunholme was briefly involved in the Lincolnshire Rising of 1536 and was the final mustering place before insurgents from Louth marched into Lincoln. At the dissolution the abbey passed to Sir Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, who transferred it to Vicent Grantham around 1545. The Grantham family would appear to have then refurbished the grange, as wood panelling, with the coats of arms of the family was located in the main building and has been dated to the 16th century. The Grantham family remained at Dunholme until the early 17th century, soon after the death of Robert Grantham of the Black Monks and founder of the Dunholme Charity in 1616. The land then passed to the Muncton family who, in turn, sold the grange to Sir Charles Hussey of Halton Holegate in 1631. Sir Charles Hussey was a Royalist supporter during the English Civil War of 1642-1646 and supplied horses and men from Dunholme to serve the King in 1642. Hussey was killed during the siege of Newark and is buried in Newark parish church. Following the Civil War, Dunholme was subject to penalties for supporting the Royalist cause. A survey of the Bishop's land at Dunholme in 1647 stated that there is 'no house of the Lord of Donham'; indicating that the manor house of the Bishop had disappeared. Thirty years later a manor house is described in Grange Close, suggesting that the name had been transferred to the former monastic grange. Possibly as a result of Hussey's death and the penalties incurred upon Dunholme, the grange passed into the hands of the Anderson family in the mid 17th century. Enclosure of the parish took place between 1655 and 1660 and Oak Lane, a thoroughfare from the grange (now the Manor House) to Lincoln Road was granted to the Anderson family. The house was then occupied by a number of families until the 1850s, when it became a farm labourers home. Undoubtedly, this led to its decay. By 1898 the house was in a sorry state, the local aithority ordered its demolition as insanitary. {2}{3} The grange would have provided a focus for Kirkstead Abbey's operations in the area which, as in the case of many Cistercian abbeys, may have principally have been a bercary (sheep farm). As such, there would possibly be associated features such as corrals, sheep washing pits and ancillary features such as dovecotes and fishponds. {2} Part of Dunholme Grange, possibly the southwestern corner of the west wing, was uncovered during trial trenching in 1999. A series of walls were exposed, one consisted of large sized limestone dressed stone, bonded with a mix of clays, although the area could not be exposed fully because of a high water table, over seven courses of foundation stones could be seen. Further walls were recorded as having suffered heavy robbing. Pottery evidence from earlier deposits that were truncated by the construction of Dunholme Grange show that the Grange was probably built around, or after, the mid 14th century. However, a number of earlier deposits and a wall over 20m long were also uncovered and show that medieval occupation of the site, perhaps as early as the late 12th century.{4}{5} Post-medieval additions to the Grange included two stone drains and 19th century yellow 'Dunholme Brick' walls and structures.{4}{5} Further trial trenching in 2000 recorded a spread of limestone rubble thought to be related to Dunholme Grange. Several quarry pits for sand extraction may be associated with the construction/maintenance of the Manor. {6}{7} An archaeological watching brief on land off Scothern Lane, Dunholme recorded a number of medieval and post-medieval features. Limestone walls and spreads of medieval demolition material indicate the presence of a major complex of buildings to the northeast of the development, with possible peripheral stone structures to the southeast. This complex appears to be associated with a linear peat-filled hollow, identified as a possible moat. The moat and stone-built structures probably equate to the manor at Dunholme (PRN 53158).{8}{9}