Country Images Magazine North Edition May 2017 | Page 20

D e r b y s h i re -
Lost Houses
began to be sold off here and there. In 1931 they
left the house for good, and aft er 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.
Th e purchaser was brewery director (Sir) Cliff ord
Gothard (1893-1979) who proceeded to
demolished the house, intending to re-assemble
much of the estate and live in the dower house.
Th e entrance part of the portico was rescued
by Sir John Th orold 13th Baronet and was
re-erected at Syston Old Hall, Lincs., during his
rebuilding of that house in 1935, and the painted
dining room buff et (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.
Th e 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]
Th e NW front as photographed by
Richard Keene c. 1859, with the terraces
re-landscaped.[M. Craven]
Th e entrance front from the S as rebuilt
by Sir Reginald Blomfi eld with Sir
Robert and Lady Gresley walking, left .
[M. Craven]
Th e entrance hall as rebuilt by John
Westmacott, c. 1890s [ J. Darwin]
Th e entrance hall as rebuilt in Wren style
by Sir Reginald, 1933. [M. Craven]
Th e dining room as decorated by Paul
Sandby, photographed by Keene.
[M. Craven]
20 | CountryImagesMagazine.co.uk