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Intro:
Been wanting to go to this place for a while and finally an opportunity availed itself as I was in the area. This place has been in the news recently for the wrong reasons. The house was very slowly being restored by the owner when a fire broke out in May of this year, severely damaging two of the three floors of the Grade II listed hall.
History:
Annesley Hall, near Annesley in Nottinghamshire, is a Grade II listed country house. The Hall dates from the mid-13th century and was the ancestral home of the Annesley family before passing to the Chaworth-Musters. Alice Chaworth, heiress to the Manor of Annesley, married George Chaworth. The Chaworth family then owned the house for the next 350 years. Mary Chaworth, who lived at the Hall in the late 1700s/early 1800's, was the boyhood lover of the poet Lord Byron, but she married John Musters in 1805 who she went on to have seven children with. Earlier a more tenuous Byron link saw the poet's uncle, William Byron, kill William Chaworth in a duel in the Stars and Garter pub in London. The drunken argument over who had more game on their estates saw Lord Byron thrust his sword through Chaworth's stomach. Chaworth died the next day and Lord Byron was later found guilty of manslaughter but got off with a small fine!
The Chaworth-Musters went on to become one of the most powerful families in Nottinghamshire. John Chaworth-Musters was appointed High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire for 1864–65. Alterations to the hall saw the addition of a service wing in 1880. The Chaworth-Musters finally sold the hall in 1972 and the new owners controversially removed many of the 17th century fittings. The hall suffered its first fire in 1997 which caused such serious damage to the hall that it has not been inhabited since then. Annesley Lodge, the former gatehouse (also grade II listed) is in slightly better condition. Annesley Old Church, near to the hall, is Grade I listed.
Here is an archive picture of the hall in happier days:
Ariel-view-of-Hall-and-Old-Church by HughieDW, on Flickr
The Explore:
The Hall's grounds are not as easy to access as you may think. Once in it feels like you are looking round an English Heritage property with no one around. The Hall itself is in a very poor state of repair and is sealed tight, as is the Lodge. Hence it's just a case of externals. That said, there are a lot of things to take pictures of. And here they are.
The first thing you come to is Annesley old church:
img2472 by HughieDW, on Flickr
The 14th-century Norman church and graveyard are worth a little shuffty in their own right:
img2418 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img2471 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img2469 by HughieDW, on Flickr
There are also nice views over the Lodge:
img2467 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img2416 by HughieDW, on Flickr
And into the estate we go...
img2422 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Can we have our ball back please?
img2423 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Here's some nice stone mullioned windows:
img2428 by HughieDW, on Flickr
And a fireplace left high and dry by the first fire:
img2426 by HughieDW, on Flickr
This damage is from the second fire:
img2475 by HughieDW, on Flickr
There's some interesting rooms built into the estate wall:
img2435 by HughieDW, on Flickr
And round the side. Here's a fence with a handy hole:
img2437 by HughieDW, on Flickr
The first thing you come to is a crumbling estate wall:
img2442 by HughieDW, on Flickr
and some estate steps:
img2447 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Is this an ice room?
img2444 by HughieDW, on Flickr
A couple of views from the rear:
img2440 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img2449 by HughieDW, on Flickr
And a close-up of the glorious sundial:
img2448 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Front elevation:
img2452bw by HughieDW, on Flickr
The lawns are still cut but the fountain's nothing more than a hole now:
img2454 by HughieDW, on Flickr
The Lodge:
img2459 by HughieDW, on Flickr
img2461 by HughieDW, on Flickr
…with its fantastic clock tower:
img2456 by HughieDW, on Flickr
A nearby ruined door:
img2466 by HughieDW, on Flickr
Thanks for looking!
Been wanting to go to this place for a while and finally an opportunity availed itself as I was in the area. This place has been in the news recently for the wrong reasons. The house was very slowly being restored by the owner when a fire broke out in May of this year, severely damaging two of the three floors of the Grade II listed hall.
History:
Annesley Hall, near Annesley in Nottinghamshire, is a Grade II listed country house. The Hall dates from the mid-13th century and was the ancestral home of the Annesley family before passing to the Chaworth-Musters. Alice Chaworth, heiress to the Manor of Annesley, married George Chaworth. The Chaworth family then owned the house for the next 350 years. Mary Chaworth, who lived at the Hall in the late 1700s/early 1800's, was the boyhood lover of the poet Lord Byron, but she married John Musters in 1805 who she went on to have seven children with. Earlier a more tenuous Byron link saw the poet's uncle, William Byron, kill William Chaworth in a duel in the Stars and Garter pub in London. The drunken argument over who had more game on their estates saw Lord Byron thrust his sword through Chaworth's stomach. Chaworth died the next day and Lord Byron was later found guilty of manslaughter but got off with a small fine!
The Chaworth-Musters went on to become one of the most powerful families in Nottinghamshire. John Chaworth-Musters was appointed High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire for 1864–65. Alterations to the hall saw the addition of a service wing in 1880. The Chaworth-Musters finally sold the hall in 1972 and the new owners controversially removed many of the 17th century fittings. The hall suffered its first fire in 1997 which caused such serious damage to the hall that it has not been inhabited since then. Annesley Lodge, the former gatehouse (also grade II listed) is in slightly better condition. Annesley Old Church, near to the hall, is Grade I listed.
Here is an archive picture of the hall in happier days:
Ariel-view-of-Hall-and-Old-Church by HughieDW, on FlickrThe Explore:
The Hall's grounds are not as easy to access as you may think. Once in it feels like you are looking round an English Heritage property with no one around. The Hall itself is in a very poor state of repair and is sealed tight, as is the Lodge. Hence it's just a case of externals. That said, there are a lot of things to take pictures of. And here they are.
The first thing you come to is Annesley old church:
img2472 by HughieDW, on FlickrThe 14th-century Norman church and graveyard are worth a little shuffty in their own right:
img2418 by HughieDW, on Flickrimg2471 by HughieDW, on Flickrimg2469 by HughieDW, on FlickrThere are also nice views over the Lodge:
img2467 by HughieDW, on Flickrimg2416 by HughieDW, on FlickrAnd into the estate we go...
img2422 by HughieDW, on FlickrCan we have our ball back please?
img2423 by HughieDW, on FlickrHere's some nice stone mullioned windows:
img2428 by HughieDW, on FlickrAnd a fireplace left high and dry by the first fire:
img2426 by HughieDW, on FlickrThis damage is from the second fire:
img2475 by HughieDW, on FlickrThere's some interesting rooms built into the estate wall:
img2435 by HughieDW, on FlickrAnd round the side. Here's a fence with a handy hole:
img2437 by HughieDW, on FlickrThe first thing you come to is a crumbling estate wall:
img2442 by HughieDW, on Flickrand some estate steps:
img2447 by HughieDW, on FlickrIs this an ice room?
img2444 by HughieDW, on FlickrA couple of views from the rear:
img2440 by HughieDW, on Flickrimg2449 by HughieDW, on FlickrAnd a close-up of the glorious sundial:
img2448 by HughieDW, on FlickrFront elevation:
img2452bw by HughieDW, on FlickrThe lawns are still cut but the fountain's nothing more than a hole now:
img2454 by HughieDW, on FlickrThe Lodge:
img2459 by HughieDW, on Flickr img2461 by HughieDW, on Flickr…with its fantastic clock tower:
img2456 by HughieDW, on FlickrA nearby ruined door:
img2466 by HughieDW, on FlickrThanks for looking!
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