Name: Sutton Scarsdale Hall
Rating: 5.0

Sutton Scarsdale Hall

Hall Drive, Sutton Scarsdale, Chesterfield, Derbyshire S44 5UR, UK

1-99 Years

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Description

Sutton Scarsdale Hall the imposing shell of a grandiose Georgian mansion built in 1724-29, with an immensely columned exterior. Roofless since 1919, when its interiors were dismantled and some exported to America, there is still much to discover within, including traces of sumptuous plasterwork.

Adjacent to the parish church, Sutton Scarsdale Hall is set amid open grassed land, with beautiful views, sloping down toward a ha-ha ditch. Notable craftsmen were employed here. Edward Poynton of Nottingham carved the exterior stonework and the Italian master craftsmen Arturi and Vasalli carried out the fine stucco (plasterwork) detailing in the principal rooms, remnants of which can still be seen.

Free Entry. If you are looking for Best place for day out with kids and families then this is the perfect destination offering fun, adventure, and unforgettable memories for everyone.

Features

Free
Host birthday parties: No

Features

History of Sutton Scarsdale Hall: Sutton Scarsdale Hall was built in the Baroque style on the site of an existing house between 1724 and 1729 for the 4th Earl of Scarsdale. The architect for the new hall was Francis Smith of Warwick, who skilfully incorporated the earlier building of about 1469 within his design.
Notable craftsmen were employed here. Edward Poynton of Nottingham carved the exterior stonework and the Italian master craftsmen Arturi and Vasalli carried out the fine stucco (plasterwork) detailing in the principal rooms, remnants of which can still be seen.
Grinling Gibbons is believed to have contributed some of the interior wood carvings. The cost of this splendid building left the Scarsdale heirs with depleted funds and they were eventually forced to sell the hall in the 19th century.
Asset Strippers: John Arkwright, a descendant of the industrialist Richard Arkwright, bought the hall, but in 1919 the family sold it to a company of asset strippers. Many of its finely decorated rooms were sold off as architectural salvage and the house was reduced to a shell. Some rooms still exist: three interiors are displayed at the Museum of Art in Philadelphia.
A pine-panelled room is at the Huntington Library, California. It was offered to the Huntington by a Hollywood film producer who had used it as a set for a film, Kitty, in 1934. He had bought it from William Randolph Hearst, the newspaper magnate and well-known collector.
Saving the Hall: The ruins of the hall were saved from demolition by the writer Sir Osbert Sitwell, who bought it in 1946 after he had heard of the impending sale to dismantle the stonework. In 1970 descendants of the Sitwells persuaded the Department of the Environment to take the building into guardianship and preserve it for the nation.
Description: The ruins of Sutton Scarsdale Hall, with tantalising remnants of a once majestic interior, offer the visitor an opportunity to view the ‘skeleton’ of the building – impossible in more complete country houses. The approach to the hall today is along a narrow driveway. Its spectacular location on a hillside is immediately apparent.

Facilities

Parking: There is a small car park, accessed via Hall Drive, a residential street. Please park with consideration for residents and other road users.
Toilets: There are no public toilets.

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Price

Price: Free

Birthday Parties

Offer Birthday Parties: No

Open for interior and exterior viewing. Please note Summer opening times are 10am - 6pm.

Address: Hall Drive, Sutton Scarsdale, Chesterfield, Derbyshire S44 5UR, UK

Post Code: S44 5UR

Council: North East Derbyshir

County: Derbyshire

Road Access: Between Chesterfield and Bolsover, 1 1⁄2 miles S of Arkwright Town.
Bus Access: G&J Holmes ‘Hallmark’ service 48.
Train Access: Chesterfield 5 miles.
Bicycle Access: Find this site on The National Cycle Network.
Parking: There is a small car park, accessed via Hall Drive, a residential street. Please park with consideration for residents and other road users.