Listed Building record MDR9991 - Barlborough Old Hall, Park Street, Barlborough

Barlborough Old Hall, Park Street, Barlborough, originally built c1618. Barlborough is in the heart of the Smythson country and the elegantly symmetrical plan of the Old Hall strongly suggests the hand of John Smythson, although he is unlikely to have had much to do with its detailing. (1) A rubble-built H-shaped house built (or at least started) on the site of an older capital mansion early in the 17th century by Sir John Rodes of Barlborough Hall for his elder son, John. However, the son was disinherited, quite probably before the house was complete. The design has been firmly attributed to John Smythson and was plainly intended to be an ornamental and romantic villa, perhaps castellated, with two small towers on the west front in the angles of the returns of the gabled projections. These, however, appear not to have been completed and since at least 1780 have terminated in lean-to roofs. The south front is almost symmetrical; however the entrance is not symmetrically placed. In 1670 the house was occupied by a Scots freebooter called Alan Lockhart who was assessed for tax on 12 hearths, but the house had been alienated by 1723. Thereafter it appears to have been divided into two and renamed Crosshouses. A century later it was back within the Barlborough Hall estate and was further divided into four, as 2-8 Church Street. By 1970 it had been empty for some time and had fallen into great decay but a decade later was acquired for restoration by the Derbyshire Historic Buildings Trust. This was completed by January 1984 and the house was sold to a private individual. (2) From the National Heritage List for England: 'SK 47 NE PARISH OF BARLBOROUGH PARK STREET 1/41 (East Side) 26.8.65 Barlborough Old Hall (formerly GV listed as No 2, 4 and 6,The Old Hall II* Manor house. Dated 1618, C17, C18. Restored 1985. Attributed to Robert Smythson.Coursed squared sandstone with sandstone dressings and quoins. Pantile roof with four brick gable stacks and a brick ridge stack. Stone coped gables with moulded kneelers. Two storeys. H-plan. North elevation of five bays. Pair of Tudor-arched doorways with moulded surrounds and plank doors. To the right is a 3-light square section flush mullion window. To the left are two 2-light windows. The first floor has a 3-light recessed and chamfered mullion window, flanked by two 2-light recessed and chamfered mullion windows. The south elevation has a doorway with segmental- arched wedge brick lintel. On each side are three light recessed and chamfered mullion and transom windows, and between the door and one of the windows is a blocked single light window, with above it, a yet smaller blind window. The first floor has five 2-light recessed and chamfered mullion windows, all with plain hoodmoulds. East elevation of 2-2-2 bays, the outer projecting bays are gabled. The left gable has a pair of cross windows to the ground floor, two 2-light windows above, and two small blind windows in the gable. The right hand gable has a single and a 2-light window to the ground floor,two 2-light windows above, and two small blind windows in the gable. The recessed centre part has two 3-light Yorkshire sashes to the ground floor and two similar but smaller windows above. The west elevation has projecting gabled bays, blind, apart from one cross window. The recessed centre part has a 3-light mullion and transom window with a 3-light window above. Flanked by full height lean-to bays. The interior has stop chamfered beams. A north-west room has a rebuilt chamfered segmental-arched hearth. Another room has a steeper segmental arch. Four-centred arched doorways. Moulded cornice. Stone staircase at the south end. One upper room has a plaster overmantel with fluted pilasters and the date 1633. A second overmantel has tapering columns. A third plaster overmantel was covered at the time of re-survey. Sources: Mark Girouard 'Robert Smythson & The Elizabethan Country House' pp276-7. Listing NGR: SK4764577296.' (3)