Listed Building: HADDON HALL (1334982)

Large double courtyard, fortified manor house. Seat of the Dukes of Rutland and built by the Vernon family. Fragments of C12 work but mainly of two periods with the upper courtyard built mainly in the second quarter of C14 and the lower courtyard built mostly in C15, but also with major refashionings and alterations of C16 and C17 and a major restoration between 1920 and 1930, supervised by Mr Leonard Stanhope, the Clerk of Works. Limestone and gritstone rubble and ashlar gritstone with gritstone dressings and quoins. Leaded roof, mostly hidden by embattled parapets with ridgeback copings, roofs and parapets mostly C20. Numerous stone ridge and side wall stacks, mostly C20, some with crenellated tops, plus massive late C15 external stacks to west side of Great Hall and, possibly C14, corbelled out stone stacks to north walls. Two storeys with four storey north-west gatetower, and three storey eastern Peveril Tower and north-east lodgings to upper courtyard. Double courtyard plan on sloping site with upper courtyard to north-east and lower courtyard to south-west. Upper courtyard has Peveril's Tower, the original entrance, and the state bedroom to east range, Long Gallery to south and the present Duke's apartments to north, whilst the lower courtyard has the continuation of the private apartments and the north-west entrance tower to north, offices and lodgings to west and the Chapel and the Earl's Bedroom to south, between the two courtyards the Great Hall and its service rooms. North elevation has late C15 entrance tower to west with C14 kitchen range to east and beyond the Duke's apartments, mostly C17 but much restored. Entrance tower has steps up to moulded, shallow pointed arch with hoodmould and double studded oak doors. To west a slit window and beyond an ornate ashlar, stepped buttress with relief carving to upper part. Above door a blank plaque with hoodmould and 3-light cavetto moulded mullion window with pointed lights and incised spandrels, set in ovolo moulded recess with hoodmould. Above again similar plaque, but decorated with upturned acorns, and similar 3-light window. Similar blank plaque and window over with large coat of arms immediately above, breaking through the moulded stringcourse with gargoyles,on to the parapets. Beyond the C14 stacks to east, a C17 wing with range of recessed and chamfered mullion windows. Attached to west corner of tower an embattled ashlar wall with four-centred arched doorcase with hoodmould, under large coat of arms of the 'Kings of the Peak', which has to either side a carved frieze of the Vernons family shields. West side of tower has polygonal staircase turret to south corner, corbelled out at first floor level. Garden front to south of limestone and gritstone rubble with gritstone quoins and continuous moulded sill bands to first floor windows and continuous moulded eaves stringcourse. Four bay, early C17, section to east with advanced square, two storey bay flanked by canted, two storey, bay windows with another window to east, and attached to west a five bay C16 section, much refashioned in C17, with the Chapel beyond to west. Eastern section has a range of recessed and ovolo moulded, double transomed windows to Long Gallery at first floor level with recessed and chamfered windows below. Lower section attached to west with two storey canted bay window with large carved crest on parapets, beyond. To west again three, first floor, oriel windows, each with recessed and ovolo moulded mullion and transomed windows, central oriel with double angled sides. To extreme west, the Chapel, set at a different angle, with Perp 5-light east window, two flat headed Perp chancel windows, C13 lancets in the south aisle and C15 cusped clerestorey windows. To opposite side of the Chapel in the lower courtyard stands a C15 octagonal bell turret with cusped Y-tracery arches to all sides at the top. Attached to east end of the Chapel the remains of C14 timber walling, now mainly enveloped in the late C16 rebuilding of the Earl's Bedroom which has mullion and transomed canted bay windows at first floor level. Great Hall to east range of the lower courtyard has C14, 2-light, low transomed, windows with central quatrefoil over cusped lights, to either side of late C15 external stack. To north C15 three storey porch and to south projecting parlour wing. Interior - the Chapel has two bay arcades of double chamfered pointed arches, that to north on C15 capital and polygonal column, that to south on mutilated late C12 scalloped capital and column. Fine 'grisailles' wall paintings to nave and early C17 oak pews and furnishings, inscribed 'GM 1624'. C15 stained glass to east, north and south windows, east one inscribed 'Ornate pro animabus Riccardi Vernon et Benedicte uxoris eius qui fecerunt anno dni 1472'. Below east window a C14 Nottingham alabaster reredos, introduced in C20. C12 plain circular font with C17 cover of double curved scrolls meeting at central knob and 1894 marble tomb to Robert Manners, with figure of dead boy to top and coats of arms and heads of family to sides, to south side of nave. Opposite a C15 stoop on octagonal stem with crenellated top. Great Hall has C15 timber screens passage with cusped panelling and gallery over, also arched braced roof dated 1923, C16 panelled lobby to south through to parlour and C16 panelling to the walls; large cavetto moulded fireplace to west and four,four-centred arched doorcases to north of screens passage, eastern one opens on to the staircase up to the gallery, whilst the other three lead to the kitchen, pantry and buttery, all have original oak studded doors. C14 kitchen has two massive segmental fireplaces, impressive C17 oak kitchen furniture and C16 chamfered cross beam roof supported near centre by braced wooden pier. Bakehouse beyond to east with breadovens and dough troughs, with slaughter house beyond again to east. Parlour to south of the Great Hall has its original cl500 painted ceiling, and panelling throughout,dated 1545, with carved frieze next to ceiling. Above is the Earl's Bedroom, refashioned in C17, when plasterwork frieze and ceiling, and panelling inserted. Beyond this room to west another apartment with the remains of C14 timber walling still visible. Long Gallery and State Bedroom to east, both C17. Long Gallery has classically inspired panelling, hugh windows and plasterwork ceiling. State Bedroom beyond, has fireplace with elborate plaster overmantle similar to those at Hardwick. Sources see Country Life CVI (1949) December 23, pp 1884, 'Haddon Hall' by Christopher Hussey, The Royal Archaeological Institute Journal Vol 118, 'Haddon Hall and Bolsover Castle', pg 188 by P A Faulkner and the National Ancient Monument Review Vol I 'The reinstatement of Haddon Hall' by John Swarbrick pg 135. Listing NGR: SK2348566368