Country Images Magazine North Edition July 2017 | Page 18

D e r b y s h i re -
Lost Houses
Aft er Revd. Nigel Gresley’s death in 1894,
the house was let, fi rst to the Robertsons of
Chilcote (of a distinguished Scots family)
who left in 1904, so that secondly, another
member of the family, Revd. George
Gresley, could move in, fashionable country
house architect Sir Reginald Blomfi eld
(then working at Drakelow) making
alterations to the new wing, lowering it
and adding a full height canted end-bay.
Th e original hall had been converted into a
sitting room in the 1870 rebuild, a new one
being provided by a fresh entrance closer
to the west wing, but this arrangement was
again revised with much re-arrangement of
oak panelling, by this time becoming rather
well travelled.
Yet by 1912, fi nancial pressure on the
Gresley fortunes had forced George to move
away and the house was empty for a while,
before again being let, this time to Col.
Kilner Brazier-Creagh, RFA (1869-1956)
but he left in about 1925, aft er which the
house remained unoccupied until its sale
by the Gresley family in 1927. Th e house
failed to sell at auction, but it was acquired
through later negotiation by E. J. Manners
of Netherseale Old Hall, who lived there for
a while, before the Great Depression forced
him to move back to the Old Hall and it lay
empty, with no takers. In 1933, therefore it
was summarily demolished. Illustrations for this story in the order of appearance.
Today the grounds are occupied by post-war
housing and a much more modern care
home, but all set discreetly behind the
rather fi ne 18th century brick park wall, but
of the house itself, not a fragment remains.
Even the Gresley family died out, the last
baronet expiring without a male heir in
Bournemouth in 1977. Photograph of the c. 1870 alterations when relatively
recent , probably 1880s. [Author]
18 | CountryImagesMagazine.co.uk
Sketch of the house dated 27th April 1855 by
Lady Gresley. Showing the later service wing, left .
[Th e late B. Pardoe]
Cope by Penelope, Lady Gresley of the elevation for a
planned new house, 1770s, probably by James Wyatt.
[Th e late B. Pardoe]
Sketch of the house and church in the 1790s from
Nichols’ History of Leicestershire, Vol. III.[Author]
Early photograph of the entrance of the house by
Richard Keene c. 1859 [Author]
Sealwood Cottage, as restored, with the thatched roof
replaced by tile and a later farmhouse tacked on to the
rear, Sept. 2009 [Author]
Sir Nigel Gresley, CBE, born at Netherseal Hall in
1876. [Private collection]