Derbyshire- Lost Houses began to be sold off here and there . In 1931 they left the house for good , and after the collapse of an abortive scheme by the AA to turn it into a motor-racing circuit and country club , the house and nearly 800 surviving acres were sold at auction .
The purchaser was brewery director ( Sir ) Clifford Gothard ( 1893-1979 ) who proceeded to demolished the house , intending to re-assemble much of the estate and live in the dower house . The entrance part of the portico was rescued by Sir John Thorold 13th Baronet and was re-erected at Syston Old Hall , Lincs ., during his rebuilding of that house in 1935 , and the painted dining room buffet ( but not the remainder ) was acquired by the V & A , where it may still be seen . By 1939 the Gothards had put together 1,256 acres but , at the end of the war , a heavy-handed government compulsorily purchased 744 of them to build the catastrophically ugly power station , leaving them with 512 , which the family sold in 1991 .
Today just some of the surrounding land and Sir Reginald ’ s imposing gate piers remain . An irreplaceable loss .
Illustrations for this story in the order of appearance .
The Drakelow Gates , seen recently [ Private collection ]
Classical Drakelow from the river 1798 [ Private collection ]
Engraving of c ., 1828 by Henry Moore from the SW of the house as rebuilt . [ M . Craven ]
The NW front as photographed by Richard Keene c . 1859 , with the terraces re-landscaped .[ M . Craven ]
The entrance front from the S as rebuilt by Sir Reginald Blomfield with Sir Robert and Lady Gresley walking , left . [ M . Craven ]
The entrance hall as rebuilt by John Westmacott , c . 1890s [ J . Darwin ]
The entrance hall as rebuilt in Wren style by Sir Reginald , 1933 . [ M . Craven ]
The dining room as decorated by Paul Sandby , photographed by Keene . [ M . Craven ]
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