Barlborough Hall

Has been described as a Possible Fortified Manor House

There are major building remains

NameBarlborough Hall
Alternative NamesBarlborough House
Historic CountryDerbyshire
Modern AuthorityDerbyshire
1974 AuthorityDerbyshire
Civil ParishBarlborough

Country house built for Sir Francis Rodes, a judge, and patronized by the Earl of Shrewsbury. Dated 1583 on the porch and 1584 on the Great Chamber overmantel. Probably by Robert Smythson. Now a Jesuit Prep School. (PastScape)

Barlborough Hall is one of the most interesting Elizabethan smaller country houses. Early authorities, and the presence of Roman coins, may suggest that the hall stands upon the site of an earlier mansion or fortified dwelling, although there is no extant archaeological evidence for this. The present hall was built between 1583-4, and was planned and built in one operation. Although externally the principal elevations suggest a completely symmetrical plan, in response to the prevailing influence of Renaissance thought, the principal rooms are arranged on the traditional Great Hall concept. Overall, Barlborough Hall represents the fully-domesticated 'four-square castle keep' without the curtain walls. The inner walls are as much as six and a half foot thick, whilst the principal staircase is based upon the spiral and is in stone. The plan is approximately square, with all the rooms being grouped around the central light well. The main floor is raised above the ground, following the traditional plan of a Manor House layout no less than the Renaissance idea of the 'Piano Nobile', or Grand Floor. (Derbyshire HER ref. Battersby, 2005)

Not scheduled

This is a Grade 1 listed building protected by law

Historic England Scheduled Monument Number
Historic England Listed Building number(s)
Images Of England
Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceSK477782
Latitude53.2991485595703
Longitude-1.28468000888824
Eastings447770
Northings378257
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink
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Books

  • Goodall, John, 2011, The English Castle 1066-1650 (Yale University Press) p. 459, 462
  • Craven, Maxwell and Stanley, Michael, 2001, The Derbyshire Country House (Landmark Publishing) Vol. 1 p. 26-27
  • Girouard, Mark, 1983, Robert Smythson and the Elizabethan Country House (Yale University Press)
  • Pevsner, N., 1979 (2edn), The Buildings of England: Derbyshire p. 81-3
  • Wade, M.R. (ed), 1971, A History of Barlborough an Ancient Derbyshire Parish (Barlborough Historical Society)

Other

  • Historic England, 2016, Heritage at Risk East Midlands Register 2016 (London: Historic England) p. 4 (new entry) online copy
  • Dave Barrett, Gill Stroud, 2009, Extensive Urban Survey - Derbyshire (English Heritage) Download copy
  • Battersby, I., 2005, Barlborough Hall (two volumes). HER Doc. No. 1257