diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 12732fa3..ff62b1f6 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](http://semver.org/).
 ### Added
 
 - Support to write merged cells in ODS format [#287](https://github.com/PHPOffice/PhpSpreadsheet/issues/287)
+- Able to set the `topLeftCell` in freeze panes [#261](https://github.com/PHPOffice/PhpSpreadsheet/pull/261) 
 
 ### Changed
 
diff --git a/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Reader/Xls.php b/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Reader/Xls.php
index a8cfb8e2..02d99f01 100644
--- a/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Reader/Xls.php
+++ b/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Reader/Xls.php
@@ -4488,9 +4488,17 @@ class Xls extends BaseReader
             // offset: 2; size: 2; position of horizontal split
             $py = self::getUInt2d($recordData, 2);
 
+            // offset: 4; size: 2; top most visible row in the bottom pane
+            $rwTop = self::getUInt2d($recordData, 4);
+
+            // offset: 6; size: 2; first visible left column in the right pane
+            $colLeft = self::getUInt2d($recordData, 6);
+
             if ($this->frozen) {
                 // frozen panes
-                $this->phpSheet->freezePane(Coordinate::stringFromColumnIndex($px + 1) . ($py + 1));
+                $cell = Coordinate::stringFromColumnIndex($px + 1) . ($py + 1);
+                $topLeftCell = Coordinate::stringFromColumnIndex($colLeft + 1) . ($rwTop + 1);
+                $this->phpSheet->freezePane($cell, $topLeftCell);
             }
             // unfrozen panes; split windows; not supported by PhpSpreadsheet core
         }
diff --git a/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Reader/Xlsx.php b/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Reader/Xlsx.php
index 1c249cae..00ebb9a9 100644
--- a/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Reader/Xlsx.php
+++ b/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Reader/Xlsx.php
@@ -720,22 +720,23 @@ class Xlsx extends BaseReader
                                     $docSheet->setRightToLeft(self::boolean((string) $xmlSheet->sheetViews->sheetView['rightToLeft']));
                                 }
                                 if (isset($xmlSheet->sheetViews->sheetView->pane)) {
-                                    if (isset($xmlSheet->sheetViews->sheetView->pane['topLeftCell'])) {
-                                        $docSheet->freezePane((string) $xmlSheet->sheetViews->sheetView->pane['topLeftCell']);
-                                    } else {
-                                        $xSplit = 0;
-                                        $ySplit = 0;
+                                    $xSplit = 0;
+                                    $ySplit = 0;
+                                    $topLeftCell = null;
 
-                                        if (isset($xmlSheet->sheetViews->sheetView->pane['xSplit'])) {
-                                            $xSplit = 1 + (int) ($xmlSheet->sheetViews->sheetView->pane['xSplit']);
-                                        }
-
-                                        if (isset($xmlSheet->sheetViews->sheetView->pane['ySplit'])) {
-                                            $ySplit = 1 + (int) ($xmlSheet->sheetViews->sheetView->pane['ySplit']);
-                                        }
-
-                                        $docSheet->freezePaneByColumnAndRow($xSplit + 1, $ySplit);
+                                    if (isset($xmlSheet->sheetViews->sheetView->pane['xSplit'])) {
+                                        $xSplit = (int) ($xmlSheet->sheetViews->sheetView->pane['xSplit']);
                                     }
+
+                                    if (isset($xmlSheet->sheetViews->sheetView->pane['ySplit'])) {
+                                        $ySplit = (int) ($xmlSheet->sheetViews->sheetView->pane['ySplit']);
+                                    }
+
+                                    if (isset($xmlSheet->sheetViews->sheetView->pane['topLeftCell'])) {
+                                        $topLeftCell = (string) $xmlSheet->sheetViews->sheetView->pane['topLeftCell'];
+                                    }
+
+                                    $docSheet->freezePane(Coordinate::stringFromColumnIndex($xSplit + 1) . ($ySplit + 1), $topLeftCell);
                                 }
 
                                 if (isset($xmlSheet->sheetViews->sheetView->selection)) {
diff --git a/src/PhpSpreadsheet/ReferenceHelper.php b/src/PhpSpreadsheet/ReferenceHelper.php
index bfa14108..3ccdba0c 100644
--- a/src/PhpSpreadsheet/ReferenceHelper.php
+++ b/src/PhpSpreadsheet/ReferenceHelper.php
@@ -576,8 +576,14 @@ class ReferenceHelper
         }
 
         // Update worksheet: freeze pane
-        if ($pSheet->getFreezePane() != '') {
-            $pSheet->freezePane($this->updateCellReference($pSheet->getFreezePane(), $pBefore, $pNumCols, $pNumRows));
+        if ($pSheet->getFreezePane()) {
+            $splitCell = $pSheet->getFreezePane();
+            $topLeftCell = $pSheet->getTopLeftCell();
+
+            $splitCell = $this->updateCellReference($splitCell, $pBefore, $pNumCols, $pNumRows);
+            $topLeftCell = $this->updateCellReference($topLeftCell, $pBefore, $pNumCols, $pNumRows);
+
+            $pSheet->freezePane($splitCell, $topLeftCell);
         }
 
         // Page setup
diff --git a/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Worksheet/Worksheet.php b/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Worksheet/Worksheet.php
index 04277a7f..ee270615 100644
--- a/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Worksheet/Worksheet.php
+++ b/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Worksheet/Worksheet.php
@@ -201,9 +201,16 @@ class Worksheet implements IComparable
     /**
      * Freeze pane.
      *
-     * @var string
+     * @var null|string
      */
-    private $freezePane = '';
+    private $freezePane;
+
+    /**
+     * Default position of the right bottom pane.
+     *
+     * @var null|string
+     */
+    private $topLeftCell;
 
     /**
      * Show gridlines?
@@ -1975,27 +1982,33 @@ class Worksheet implements IComparable
     /**
      * Freeze Pane.
      *
-     * @param string $pCell Cell (i.e. A2)
-     *                                    Examples:
-     *                                        A2 will freeze the rows above cell A2 (i.e row 1)
-     *                                        B1 will freeze the columns to the left of cell B1 (i.e column A)
-     *                                        B2 will freeze the rows above and to the left of cell A2
-     *                                            (i.e row 1 and column A)
+     * Examples:
+     *
+     *     - A2 will freeze the rows above cell A2 (i.e row 1)
+     *     - B1 will freeze the columns to the left of cell B1 (i.e column A)
+     *     - B2 will freeze the rows above and to the left of cell A2 (i.e row 1 and column A)
+     *
+     * @param null|string $cell Position of the split
+     * @param null|string $topLeftCell default position of the right bottom pane
      *
      * @throws Exception
      *
      * @return Worksheet
      */
-    public function freezePane($pCell)
+    public function freezePane($cell, $topLeftCell = null)
     {
-        // Uppercase coordinate
-        $pCell = strtoupper($pCell);
-        if (strpos($pCell, ':') === false && strpos($pCell, ',') === false) {
-            $this->freezePane = $pCell;
-        } else {
+        if (is_string($cell) && (strpos($cell, ':') !== false || strpos($cell, ',') !== false)) {
             throw new Exception('Freeze pane can not be set on a range of cells.');
         }
 
+        if ($cell !== null && $topLeftCell === null) {
+            $coordinate = Coordinate::coordinateFromString($cell);
+            $topLeftCell = $coordinate[0] . ($coordinate[1] + 1);
+        }
+
+        $this->freezePane = $cell;
+        $this->topLeftCell = $topLeftCell;
+
         return $this;
     }
 
@@ -2005,8 +2018,6 @@ class Worksheet implements IComparable
      * @param int $columnIndex Numeric column coordinate of the cell
      * @param int $row Numeric row coordinate of the cell
      *
-     * @throws Exception
-     *
      * @return Worksheet
      */
     public function freezePaneByColumnAndRow($columnIndex, $row)
@@ -2021,7 +2032,17 @@ class Worksheet implements IComparable
      */
     public function unfreezePane()
     {
-        return $this->freezePane('');
+        return $this->freezePane(null);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Get the default position of the right bottom pane.
+     *
+     * @return int
+     */
+    public function getTopLeftCell()
+    {
+        return $this->topLeftCell;
     }
 
     /**
@@ -2622,6 +2643,7 @@ class Worksheet implements IComparable
         //    Identify the range that we need to extract from the worksheet
         $maxCol = $this->getHighestColumn();
         $maxRow = $this->getHighestRow();
+
         // Return
         return $this->rangeToArray('A1:' . $maxCol . $maxRow, $nullValue, $calculateFormulas, $formatData, $returnCellRef);
     }
diff --git a/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Writer/Xls/Worksheet.php b/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Writer/Xls/Worksheet.php
index 5f374781..2257e075 100644
--- a/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Writer/Xls/Worksheet.php
+++ b/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Writer/Xls/Worksheet.php
@@ -1589,10 +1589,15 @@ class Worksheet extends BIFFwriter
     private function writePanes()
     {
         $panes = [];
-        if ($freezePane = $this->phpSheet->getFreezePane()) {
-            list($column, $row) = Coordinate::coordinateFromString($freezePane);
-            $panes[0] = $row - 1;
-            $panes[1] = Coordinate::columnIndexFromString($column) - 1;
+        if ($this->phpSheet->getFreezePane()) {
+            list($column, $row) = Coordinate::coordinateFromString($this->phpSheet->getFreezePane());
+            $panes[0] = Coordinate::columnIndexFromString($column) - 1;
+            $panes[1] = $row - 1;
+
+            list($leftMostColumn, $topRow) = Coordinate::coordinateFromString($this->phpSheet->getTopLeftCell());
+            //Coordinates are zero-based in xls files
+            $panes[2] = $topRow - 1;
+            $panes[3] = Coordinate::columnIndexFromString($leftMostColumn) - 1;
         } else {
             // thaw panes
             return;
diff --git a/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Writer/Xlsx/Worksheet.php b/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Writer/Xlsx/Worksheet.php
index 17a80205..8dc6af38 100644
--- a/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Writer/Xlsx/Worksheet.php
+++ b/src/PhpSpreadsheet/Writer/Xlsx/Worksheet.php
@@ -244,31 +244,31 @@ class Worksheet extends WriterPart
 
         // Pane
         $pane = '';
-        $topLeftCell = $pSheet->getFreezePane();
-        if (($topLeftCell != '') && ($topLeftCell != 'A1')) {
-            $activeCell = $topLeftCell;
-            // Calculate freeze coordinates
-            $xSplit = $ySplit = 0;
-
-            list($xSplit, $ySplit) = Coordinate::coordinateFromString($topLeftCell);
+        if ($pSheet->getFreezePane()) {
+            list($xSplit, $ySplit) = Coordinate::coordinateFromString($pSheet->getFreezePane());
             $xSplit = Coordinate::columnIndexFromString($xSplit);
+            --$xSplit;
+            --$ySplit;
+
+            $topLeftCell = $pSheet->getTopLeftCell();
+            $activeCell = $topLeftCell;
 
             // pane
             $pane = 'topRight';
             $objWriter->startElement('pane');
-            if ($xSplit > 1) {
-                $objWriter->writeAttribute('xSplit', $xSplit - 1);
+            if ($xSplit > 0) {
+                $objWriter->writeAttribute('xSplit', $xSplit);
             }
-            if ($ySplit > 1) {
-                $objWriter->writeAttribute('ySplit', $ySplit - 1);
-                $pane = ($xSplit > 1) ? 'bottomRight' : 'bottomLeft';
+            if ($ySplit > 0) {
+                $objWriter->writeAttribute('ySplit', $ySplit);
+                $pane = ($xSplit > 0) ? 'bottomRight' : 'bottomLeft';
             }
             $objWriter->writeAttribute('topLeftCell', $topLeftCell);
             $objWriter->writeAttribute('activePane', $pane);
             $objWriter->writeAttribute('state', 'frozen');
             $objWriter->endElement();
 
-            if (($xSplit > 1) && ($ySplit > 1)) {
+            if (($xSplit > 0) && ($ySplit > 0)) {
                 //    Write additional selections if more than two panes (ie both an X and a Y split)
                 $objWriter->startElement('selection');
                 $objWriter->writeAttribute('pane', 'topRight');
diff --git a/tests/PhpSpreadsheetTests/Reader/XlsTest.php b/tests/PhpSpreadsheetTests/Reader/XlsTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..be435e83
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/PhpSpreadsheetTests/Reader/XlsTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheetTests\Reader;
+
+use PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheet\Reader\Xls as ReaderXls;
+use PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheet\Shared\File;
+use PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheet\Spreadsheet;
+use PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheet\Writer\Xls as WriterXls;
+use PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase;
+
+class XlsTest extends PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase
+{
+    public function testFreezePane()
+    {
+        $filename = tempnam(File::sysGetTempDir(), 'phpspreadsheet');
+
+        $cellSplit = 'B2';
+        $topLeftCell = 'E5';
+
+        $spreadsheet = new Spreadsheet();
+        $active = $spreadsheet->getActiveSheet();
+        $active->freezePane($cellSplit, $topLeftCell);
+
+        $writer = new WriterXls($spreadsheet);
+        $writer->save($filename);
+
+        // Read written file
+        $reader = new ReaderXls();
+        $reloadedSpreadsheet = $reader->load($filename);
+        $reloadedActive = $reloadedSpreadsheet->getActiveSheet();
+        $actualCellSplit = $reloadedActive->getFreezePane();
+        $actualTopLeftCell = $reloadedActive->getTopLeftCell();
+
+        self::assertSame($cellSplit, $actualCellSplit, 'should be able to set freeze pane');
+        self::assertSame($topLeftCell, $actualTopLeftCell, 'should be able to set the top left cell');
+    }
+}
diff --git a/tests/PhpSpreadsheetTests/Reader/XlsxTest.php b/tests/PhpSpreadsheetTests/Reader/XlsxTest.php
index fd14714d..a379fdac 100644
--- a/tests/PhpSpreadsheetTests/Reader/XlsxTest.php
+++ b/tests/PhpSpreadsheetTests/Reader/XlsxTest.php
@@ -2,7 +2,10 @@
 
 namespace PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheetTests\Reader;
 
-use PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheet\Reader\Xlsx;
+use PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheet\Reader\Xlsx as ReaderXlsx;
+use PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheet\Shared\File;
+use PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheet\Spreadsheet;
+use PhpOffice\PhpSpreadsheet\Writer\Xlsx as WriterXlsx;
 use PHPUnit\Framework\TestCase;
 
 class XlsxTest extends TestCase
@@ -13,7 +16,32 @@ class XlsxTest extends TestCase
     public function testLoadXlsxWithoutCellReference()
     {
         $filename = './data/Reader/XLSX/without_cell_reference.xlsx';
-        $reader = new Xlsx();
+        $reader = new ReaderXlsx();
         $reader->load($filename);
     }
+
+    public function testFreezePane()
+    {
+        $filename = tempnam(File::sysGetTempDir(), 'phpspreadsheet');
+
+        $cellSplit = 'B2';
+        $topLeftCell = 'E5';
+
+        $spreadsheet = new Spreadsheet();
+        $active = $spreadsheet->getActiveSheet();
+        $active->freezePane($cellSplit, $topLeftCell);
+
+        $writer = new WriterXlsx($spreadsheet);
+        $writer->save($filename);
+
+        // Read written file
+        $reader = new ReaderXlsx();
+        $reloadedSpreadsheet = $reader->load($filename);
+        $reloadedActive = $reloadedSpreadsheet->getActiveSheet();
+        $actualCellSplit = $reloadedActive->getFreezePane();
+        $actualTopLeftCell = $reloadedActive->getTopLeftCell();
+
+        self::assertSame($cellSplit, $actualCellSplit, 'should be able to set freeze pane');
+        self::assertSame($topLeftCell, $actualTopLeftCell, 'should be able to set the top left cell');
+    }
 }