# Sutton Scarsdale Hall, Derbys, May 2015



## HughieD (May 14, 2015)

Was in a quandary whether to do a report on this place as it is in 'managed dereliction' courtesy of English Heritage. But it has been covered before on the site in the past, is definitely derelict and very, very beautiful so what the heck. Load of history on the place so here's little potted history.

The current house is the fourth or fifth dwelling to have been built on this prominent location. In 1724 a Georgian mansion with gardens was commissioned by the 4th Earl of Scarsdale. Internally it was on a par with Chatsworth House with its oak ornamental panels, stucco plasterwork and carved fireplaces in both marble and Blue John. On the death the 4th Earl in 1740, the estate was purchased by Godfrey Bagnall Clarke. It subsequently passed to the Marquis of Ormonde in 1774 and then fifty years later in 1824 on to Richard Arkwright, son of Sir Richard Arkwright (inventor of the spinning jenny) of Cromford Mill fame. On his death in 1843 he was said to be the richest 'commoner' in England. The Hall passed to one of his eleven children Robert Arkwright (1783-1859). On his death it passed to his son, the Reverend Godfrey Harry Arkwright and then on to his eldest son, Francis Arkwright, in 1866. Francis migrated to New Zealand in1882 so he left Sutton Scarsdale Hall in the care of his cousin, William Arkwright, who then inherited the property when Francis died in 1915. 

The Hall circa 1900:







Having been subject to neglect under William Arkwright's care, he auctioned Sutton Scarsdale Hall in 1919, along with the rest of the Estate. The estate was bought by a group of local businessmen who sadly asset-stripped the hall to the point of even removing the roof in 1920. Some parts of the building were shipped to the USA including one of the room's oak panelling which bought by newspaper baron William Randolph Hearst, with plans to use it at Hearst Castle. Understandably after 1920, with no roof, the hall went downhill rapidly. By 1946 the building had deteriorated so badly that it was scheduled for demolition. At the last minute Sir Osbert Sitwell of Renishaw Hall came to the rescue and bought the Hall with the intention of preserving it as ruin. The Hall subsequently passed in the care of English Heritage in the early 1990s.

OK, here's the pictures:


img8865 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img8868 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img8871 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img8875 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img8878 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img8886 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img8869 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img8877 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img8881 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img8882 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img8892 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img8879 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img8884 by HughieDW, on Flickr


img8890 by HughieDW, on Flickr


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## jakee (May 14, 2015)

i enjoyed looking,
thanks for posting.


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## flyboys90 (May 14, 2015)

Great report and photos.


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## smiler (May 14, 2015)

I enjoyed that, nicely done, Thanks


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## UrbanX (May 15, 2015)

What a lovely old place, cracking photos too!


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