The next dealing with the Pannal Hall estate was on November 19th, 1648; when Thomas Herbert – in consideration of the love to his sister, Elizabeth Pecke, and his nephew, Thomas Herbert – appointed Mark Metcalfe and Thomas Thompson to stand seized of Pannal estate and Pannal Banks, to the use of the said Thomas, for life, and after his decease to Jacob Herbert, son of Philip, and his heirs.
This Jacob Herbert made his will, July 4th, 1661, in which he describes himself as late of Leeds, now of the city of York, cloth and dresser; and desires his body to be decently buried in the Church of All Hallows, on the pavement, within the city of York, near the bodies of his late dear father and mother. Having previously given Pannal Hall, or his interest therein, by deed, to his brother Philip Herbert, he now, by his will, ratifies the same. He further says, "Whereas Sir Richard Tankred, Knight, my uncle, was nominated, by my said late dear mother, to be my tutor or guardian, in my minority, by reason whereof he entered to all, or most part of, my said mother’s estate, and has not yet accompt rendered of the same, my humble suit and desire is, that the said Sir Richard, my loving uncle, will be pleased to make accompt to my executor, hereinafter named." He gives to his cousin, Mrs. Thornton, five pounds, and a gold ring, with the posie, Never looke, but remember. He also gives unto his loving uncle the sum of one hundred pounds, to be paid when he has rendered a true accompt to his executors.
The "loving uncle" did not think proper to comply with the above modest request, without the cost of a chancery suit, in which Philip Herbert was complainant, and Sir Richard Tankred, Knight, defendant. We do not know the result.
Philip Herbert, brother of the above named Jacob, was born in 1627, and was lord Mayor of the city of York, in 1675. He married, in 1644, Mary, daughter of Ralph Bell, of Thirsk, by whom he had three sons, Philip, Thomas, and John, and two daughters, Elizabeth and Mary. The elder sons died before their father, whose death took place in 1697.
On the 12th of June, 1694, Philip Herbert and his wife, mortgaged the Pannal Hall estate to Robert Bell; and on the 4th November, 1698, for a further consideration, and reciting an annuity of £20 per annum to Philip Herbert and his wife, Dame Mary Herbert, widow, released the premises to Robert Bell, her brother. Robert Bell died in 1707, when the estate came into the possession of his son, Ralph Bell, of Sowerby, Esq., who sold the same to William Pullan, who appears not to have been able to procure the whole of the purchase money, but mortgaged the same to Ralph Bell, at the time of the purchase; and for a further sum on the 1st November, 1718. Six years afterwards, on November 10th, 1724, Ralph Bell and Samuel Pullan sold the Pannal Hall estate to Mr. George Bentley, by whose descendants it is yet held.
George Bentley, born in 1690, was son of William Bentley, of Great Rosset, in the parish of Pannal. His wife’s name was Mary Godfrey, by whom he had issue –
George Bentley died, March 8th, 1765 (his wife died August 1st, 1778), and was succeeded by his eldest son, William Bentley, who, in August 1778, married Christiana Bradley, by whom he had –
William Bentley died December 23rd, 1818 (Christiana, his wife, died August 31st, 1819), and was succeeded in the Pannal Hall estate by his eldest son, William Bentley, who in 1802, married Mary, daughter of Bryan Procter, of Pannal, by whom he had issue –
William Bentley, died July 18th, 1848 (his wife died October 7th, 1846), and was succeeded by his only son, Thomas Bentley, married Mary Ann, eldest daughter of William Wright, of Beckwith House, by whom he had issue –
Thomas Bentley died May 6th, 1863, and was succeeded by his only son, William George Bentley, who married Henrietta, daughter of Henry James Lesley, of Sinnington Lodge, by whom he had one daughter –
William George Bentley died August 2nd, 1866, had by his will, devised the estate of Pannal Hall to his aunt, Miss Eliza Penelope Bentley, the present owner.
Pannal Hall, rebuilt by the late Thomas Bentley, in 1860, is a modern mansion, situate in a warm sheltered situation, near the brook Crimple, on the western side of the village street. The Pannal Hall estate extends along the valley, down the northern side of the Crimple, from Burn Bridge to Almsford Bridge.