Author: Matthew Beckett - The Country Seat

Fight for Elmswell Old Hall to carry on

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Elmswell Old Hall (Image: Hull Daily Mail)

Campaigners have vowed to continue the twenty-year battle for Elmswell Old Hall despite the latest setback.  The house, near Driffield, was built in 1642 and the home of the seventeenth-century agricultural diarist Henry Best – but the last time someone lived in the house was in 1965.  Although Grade-II* listed and thought to be one of the first brick-built houses in Yorkshire, it has slowly fallen into such an advanced state of dereliction that the owners have requested permission, via an entity ironically named ‘Elmswell Heritage Ltd’, to partially demolish what remains and consolidate the rest as a ruin.

An alternative plan, supported by locals and the Yorkshire Buildings Preservation Trust, has been put forward by the Spitalfields Trust who have a long record of restoring Georgian townhouses and historic country houses including the recently for sale Shurland Hall.  This plan would not only consolidate what fabric of the building remains but would also then restore it for use as a home. However, a major obstacle is that the house and land are owned by the same estate who have made it clear that the plan was unfeasible as they would not sell land nor access to the house.

So the future for the house appears to be that of architectural curiosity, open occasionally for school visits and scholars.  Unless a miracle happens, is seems another piece of Yorkshire, and the nation’s, heritage has been effectively lost due to fifty-years of neglect by the owner and the local council who should’ve stepped in decades ago to protect the hall.

Full story: ‘Preservation fight goes on even after building demolition backed‘ [Yorkshire Post]

Quick news roundup: Gelli Aur, Raasay House, overseas buyers

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‘Welsh mansion appeal for armed forces retreat‘ [BBC News]

Raasay House: ‘Work to start on fire hit centre‘ [BBC News]

‘Overseas buyers snapping up country houses‘ [Country Life]

Cherkley Court closes to the public

Matthew Beckett - The Country Seat4 Comments
Cherkley Court, Surrey (Image: geograph.co.uk)

Despite the continued visitor success of the more famous country houses such as Castle Howard, the closure of Cherkley Court  in Leatherhead, Surrey, to the public shows that the smaller houses can find it much harder to make a profit.

The house was built in the 1860s but rebuilt in a French chateau-style following  a serious fire in 1893 and was home to the press baron Lord Beaverbrook. Now the charitable Beaverbrook Foundation which owns the house has decided that their funds can no longer subsidise the running of the house.  Previously the grounds had been open to the public and a new cafe and gift shop had been built in 2008 but even this failed to lift visitor numbers sufficiently. 

So what does the future hold?  The foundation have confirmed that it will honour all events and weddings already booked but will not be taking any more.  Although the house and estate was recently valued by Savills, it’s unlikely (though not impossible) that it might be put up for sale.  However this might actually be good solution as the many millions the sale would surely raise would be a healthy boost for the Foundation’s other charitable work but would also ensure that the house was in use which is the main protection against creeping neglect.  Fingers crossed that whatever the outcome, this interesting house is preserved for the future.

Full story: ‘Beaverbrook’s Leatherhead country home Cherkley Court closes to public‘ [Epsom Guardian]

Eshott Hall, Northumberland, finally sold

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Eshott Hall, Northumberland (Image: telegraph.co.uk)

One event which can always creates a certain risk for country houses is the bankruptcy of the owner.  Once the contents have been sold, apart from the lack of maintenence, an empty house can be a magnet for the thieves who think nothing of stripping fixtures and fittings and even the lead off the roof.  So the news that Eshott Hall in Northumberland has now been sold following the bankruptcy of the owners is to be welcomed as hopefully the house will remain in use.

Full story: ‘Future of hall to become clear as sale nears‘ [The Journal]

Stanwick Hall to get a makeover on TV

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Stanwick Hall, Northamptonshire (Image: Daily Telegraph)

When the beautiful Grade-II* listed, Queen Anne-era Stanwick Hall came up for sale in 2006, many would have been surprised at the relatively  low asking price of £1.1m.

Though the house came with seven bedroom and 11-acres in the Northamptonshire countryside, it also came with an ‘At Risk’ rating from English Heritage due to the structural problems.

Despite this it did sell and now Endemol have expressed an interest to the architect in charge of the restoration, Anthony Rickett, who has agreed to let them follow the work.  It’s always pleasing to hear of houses being restored and it’s even better when the work is brought to the attention of the wider public so they can also appreciate the hard work that is done to maintain these vital pieces of our heritage.

Full story: ‘Hall’s restoration to be shown on TV‘ [Evening Telegraph]