the manor of huddersfield was owned by the de lacy family until 1322, at which it reverted to royal ownership. in 1599, william ramsden bought the manor, and the ramsden family continued to own the manor, which came to be known as the ramsden estate, until 1920. during their ownership they supported the development of the town. sir john ramsden, 3rd baronet built the huddersfield cloth hall in 1766 and his son the fourth baronet was responsible for sir john ramsden's canal in 1780. the ramsdens also supported the arrival of the railway in the 1840s.