[2] In the early 16th century the Howsham estate belonged to nearby Kirkham Priory and following the Dissolution of the Monasteries under Henry VIII was granted to Thomas Manners, 1st Earl of Rutland around 1540.

The present Hall was built in about 1610 on the site of a previous manor house, using stone from the priory, by Sir William Bamburgh, whose coat of arms, with those of his wife Mary Forthe, is above the main entrance.

[1] Having passed again by marriage to the Cholmeley family of Whitby Abbey, the house was remodelled in about 1775 for Nathaniel Cholmley, possibly by John Carr or Peter Atkinson.

Howsham Hall was a Roman Catholic school and had a morning and evening service every weekday and mass on Sunday.

In the Autumn and Spring terms boys played rugby, with the school fielding a 1st XV and an U11s team; while the girls had ballet, aerobics or needlework classes.

Pupils also did cross country on Mondays and Thursdays culminating in a 7 mile run at the end of the spring term called the "championship" an inter house competition.

Horse riding was also offered on Tuesday afternoons and Swimming was done up until year 7 (Form 2) on Friday morning at Pickering.