Place House was formerly the Manor House of Ware. It was built as an aisled hall with a cross wing at the upper (west) end and can be dated stylistically to the time when the manor was held by Thomas, Lord Wake (1297 - 1349). Dendrochronology has been conducted on timbers inside the building and suggested a date of around 1300, however the house may even late to as early as the late 13th century.

The first alteration to the original design was probably made in the late 15th or 16th century during the tenure of Margaret Beaufort, Countess of Richmond to whom the manor was granted by her son Henry VII, when a movable calf screen was added to the Hall and the house was probably enlarged. Between 1575 and 1587 the manor and its adjoining land were acquired by Thomas Fanshawe who later built a new house at Ware Park so that eventually the old Manor House must have been in the hands of tenants.

In the early 17th century an east wing on two storeys with attics and a cellar was built to replace the original service bay. In 1674 when the building was purchased by the Governers of Christ’s Hospital School major work was carried out to alter the buildings for educational purposes. The east wing was re-furbished as the school master’s house and the west wing and the cloisters were totally demolished and the materials salvaged were probably re-used in the construction of the 12 nurses’ houses which were built on the west side across a rectangular courtyard, which is now Bluecoat Yard. Major alterations were made to the hall, the south aisle being heightened and the north aisle being demolished and replaced by a wider structure. In this alteration a large school room with fireplaces at the north, east and south-west corners. The children were housed in the Nurses’ houses each house having 12 boys and a housemother.

By 1761 the new school at Hertford was well-established and at this time the school at Ware was moved to the more spacious surroundings in Hertford. It is thought that the building continued to be used for educational purposes by tenants and Christs’ Hospital eventually disposed of it in 1894 after which it was converted for residential use.

In 1972 the Hertfordshire Building Preservation Trust was told that there was the option of accepting a bequest of the building and immediately took up the challenge which the somewhat neglected building then presented. Due to difficulties of a legal nature the Trust did not become the owner of the property until March 1975. there followed detailed discussions of numerous restoration schemes before a final scheme was selected and the work was started in June 1977. Thanks to the skill and enthusiasm of our builders, the architect and the quantity surveyor, the work was completed within twelve months and the completed building was graciously re-opened by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother on Saturday 8 July 1978.

During the restoration work, a considerable amount of new information was obtained which has led to a clearer understanding of the history of the building since the 13th century. Beneath the panelling in the east wing, a 17th century wall painting was discovered. The painting was in a very fragile condition and in danger of falling from its backing. The whole painting was carefully stabilised and dismantled for detailed restoration work in the workshops of St Albans Museum and then replaced on a secure backing. A fragment of the painting is displayed in the hall.

Apart from the Great Hall and its adjoining Committee Room and other facilities, the recent conversion scheme has provided two residential units in the east wing and an office suite on the first floor.