Listed Building record MDR11716 - Old Wakelyn Hall, No. 33 Main Street, Hilton

Old Wakelyn Hall, No. 33 Main Street, Hilton, a 16th century decorative timber framed building. 'Tree-ring dating of timbers from Wakelyn Hall has provided a felling date of 1573.' (1) 'Wakelyn Old Hall may have been the residence of Wakelyn family who held Hilton under de Ferres during the Norman era and later became linked with marriage with the Chandos family. A fragment of a letter dated to 1919 states that the Wakelyns lived at Hilton until 1621. Wakelyn Old Hall did become an inn at some time, whether in the Elizabethan age or later. It is a rare example of half-timbering within Derbyshire- a feature that is not often seen in the county- where these timbers also have ornamental motifs in the timberwork. Some of this ornamentation is repeated though not the lozenges, in the projecting gables on each side of the house, but not at the back. The brickwork that cuts across the back of the house is a later addition, but there is known half-timbering behind it. The sitting room is the largest in the house, where it retains a brick floor that must have been there for at least a couple of centuries and some of the beams show signs of fire damage. The thick beam running across the room has the date '1671' scratched into it. In the dining room (formerly the kitchen) is a pump and below the pump was a Saxon font used to catch the drips from the pump spout. The font now stands outside. The stonework on the left of the fireplace looks ecclesiastical, possibly from the same source as the font.' (2) From the National Heritage List for England: 'SK 23 SW PARISH OF HILTON MAIN STREET 3/35 (South Side) Wakelyn or 2.9.52 Old Hall II House. C16, partly rebuilt in C18 and C19, also with mid-C20 restoration. Close studded and ornamental panelled timber frame on stone plinth with plaster infill, partly rebuilt in red brick. Slate and plain tile roofs with large brick ridge and side wall stacks. H-plan, two storeys plus attics and three bays. South elevation has ground floor mostly rebuilt in brick with only the corner posts remaining. The advanced bays each have central, diamond paned C20 windows, that to east 3-light and that to west 4-light. Central section has C20 door to east and 4-light C20 window to west. Above, three C20 oriel windows with diamond paned casements, set amid decorative timber work panels. Lower squares to advanced bays have simple lozenge patterns whilst central section has panels divided into four with quatrefoils in each. All the upper panels have large crosses with oval cut-outs to centres. Advanced bays have - jettied gables over with quatrefoil panels and the blocked remains of 3-light mullion attic windows. Ground and first floors of west elevation rebuilt in brick but jettied attic gables survive with quatrefoil panels to base and splat baluster frieze over. Rear elevation also considerably rebuilt in brick but eastern crosswing still has considerably quantity of close studding to first and attic floors. Interior said to contain chamfered beams one inglenook fireplace and part of the original staircase. Listing NGR: SK2445630639.' (3)