Monument record MDR12147 - Vale House (site of), Outgang Lane, Pleasley

The Pleasley Tithe Map of 1841 shows a building, apparently exhibiting two construction phases, occupying the site of the later Vale House, while in 1846, the house of William Hollins, General Manager of the Pleasley Works, was described as 'Pleasley Vale House, a handsome mansion'. It is uncertain to what extent these, and other early records of properties in Pleasley Vale, can be correlated with the later Vale House, as it is only in 1861 that the name Vale House appears in the census summary. Kelly's Trade directory of 1887 describes Vale House as having been 'considerably enlarged in 1861', while other sources give a date of 1862 for its construction. A description of 1874 described the house as having been built 'in the Italian style of architecture', with 'superb' internal arrangements and 'exquisite adornments'. Comparison of various Ordnance Survey editions shows that by 1897 a porch (or similar structure) shown in 1875 had been removed. The 1914 revision shows a smaller and less elaborate building, with two short ranges. Further changes included the removal of a large block to the north-east which had extended close to the rock face. One interpretation is that this was a late 19th century servants' accommodation wing which became redundant in the early 20th century. Vale House was converted to office use by the early 1960s; however, the mills were closed in 1987 and by the early 1990s the house was on the Derbyshire Buildings at Risk Register. In 2008 it was demolished to ground floor ceiling level as it had become dangerous to the public. Photographs from various periods provide some documentation of the exterior of the house, while a site visit in 2009 identified some stone walls within the building which could have their origins prior to the 1860s works. (1)