History Of Mixenden Hall - Fold Farm

Mixenden, Halifax, West Yorkshire
Fold Farm - also known as Mixenden Hall and The Fold.
It is a Medieval aisled hall house built about 1450
The small stone manor house known as Fold Farm formerly Mixenden Hall
it was rebuilt about 1600s by the Illingworth family who owned most of the valley
Halifax Antiquarian Society say the centre portion of the Fold goes back more than 500 years this is the timber structure which as never been encased in stone
Fold farm was the home of the older branch of the Illingworth family for nearley 300 years and has the distinction of being the oldest inhabited house in Ovenden township & one of the oldest in the ancient parish of Halifax
A house is recorded here in the 12th century.
The 15th century aisled house was cased in stone in the late 17th century.
Owners and tenants have included
Henry and Robert de Mixenden [1274]
the Illingworth family
John Illingworth [1550]
Phebe Illingworth [1680]
Abraham Langley [1681]
Robert Ramsbottom [1783]
Major Bentley [18??]
Joseph Sunderland [1897]
James Longbottom [1905, 1911]
It is said that, in the 15th/16th century, an elderly stranger came to the door of the house one Sunday morning whilst the family were away attending church in Halifax. He demanded a meal and the maid invited him into the kitchen. When he fell asleep, she saw that he had a pistol inside his coat, and she poured a pan of hot fat over him and into his mouth, killing him.
It is said that St Mary's, Illingworth was built to avoid repetitions of such situations.
Around 1710, the property was divided into 2 farms. In December 1717, a conveyance described it as
... now divided into 2 farms, plus land, cottages, fulling mill -
(Mixenden Fulling Mill) It was on the Mixenden part of Fold Farm, part of the cottage industry system. Shaw Mill, Mixenden was later built on the site
The house is said to be haunted by a woman in an apron who sits at the foot of the stairs