Building record MDR11678 - Drill Hall, Elmton Road, Creswell

Creswell Drill Hall was built by the Bolsover Colliery Company in 1903-4 to provide recreational facilities for the Creswell Boys Brigade and forms part of the model mining village. The hall was designed by the architect Percy B Houfton of Chesterfield using the style of the Arts and Crafts Movement. The site was donated by the Duke of Portland who also contributed towards the cost of construction. The front (north) elevation has been faced with replacement brick and render, concealing many of the original Arts and Crafts features. The “Drill Hall” consists of three ranges; a two-storeyed north-facing range parallel to and fronting the street, and behind it, two single storeyed ranges which stand at ninety degrees to the street range. All three ranges are built of brick with sandstone dressings and have gabled roofs with slate pitches. The latter were originally of green “Cornish” slate, but the slates are now coated with asphalt. The gables are shouldered and have squared stone copings. The street range originally contained an entrance lobby, toilets and cloak rooms on the ground floor, and a billiards room on the first floor. The central range is of a tall single storey enclosing a large hall with a stage at its far end. The south’ range originally contained a dining room, kitchen and scullery. The front range is three bays long and two bays wide, with a central entrance on the north elevation. The street range has a hexagonal clock turret at the intersection of the dormer and main roof. The main hall is seven bays long. Brick buttresses, with stone coped shoulders, divide the bays on the east and west side walls. The south range has two parallel gabled roofs on a north-south axis, with gabled dormers towards the north end of the east and west elevations. There are two brick chimney stacks, one at each ridge, and which serve back-to-back fireplaces in the dining room and kitchen. In recent years the north wall of the front range has been faced with brick and the window openings on that elevation have been blocked. The building is now in use as Creswell Social Centre. (1) By the early 2000s the building was in need of major renovation and restoration. In 2004, therefore, funding was obtained from the Heritage Lottery Fund to allow the necessary repairs to go ahead, including a new roof, windows, doors, ceiling to the stage and main hall. One requirement was that the front of the Social Centre be restored as far as possible to the original look. (2)