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Summary

A building of 1670 with 18th and 19th century additions, and incorporating an earlier hall of 1572-3.

Monument Type(s):

• SPA HOTEL (Post Medieval - 1572 AD to 1670 AD)

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events

• EDR1768 - Building Survey, The Old Hall Hotel, Buxton, by RCHME, in 1989
• EDR3757 - Evaluation, The Crescent, Buxton, by UMAU, in 2003

Full Description

The Old Hall Hotel is of 1670 with late 18th century additions behind. It has a five-bay front with slightly projecting angle bays, thick quoins, a semi-circular porch on Tuscan columns and a window above it with a characteristic semi-circular pediment. (1)

The north wing is late 19th century, one and two storeys high, and has a slate roof. (2)

Behind the early 18th century south front of the Old Hall Hotel are to be found the substantial remains of the Earl and Countess of Shrewsbury's New Hall, built in 1572-3 and previously believed to have been demolished in 1670. The building is a stone structure, almost square in plan and of four storeys in height - a description that closely matches a contemporary account of the Hall. The New Hall appears to have been built in order to provide lodgings for persons of rank visiting Buxton to bathe in the thermal bath adjoining the Hall and to take the waters at the nearby St Ann's Well (SMR 2836). The first guest of importance to have occupied the building was Mary Queen of Scots, whose first visit to Buxton was delayed until its completion in 1573. Writing in the 1670s, Charles Cotton describes the Hall as having deteriorated into a ruinous state and goes on to assert that the Duke of Devonshire had recently rebuilt 'what Art could not repair'. However, all the indications are that the rebuild was by no means as complete as has been supposed. In fact, a considerable amount of the original fabric appears to have survived behind the 18th and 19th century additions and alterations. (4, 5)

<1> Pevsner, N, 1979, The Buildings of England: Derbyshire. 2nd ed., revised, pp 114-115 (Bibliographic reference). SDR12891.

<2> SMR: DOE: Listed Buildings. (Bibliographic reference). SDR13968.

<3> NDAT, NDAT: 3262. (Index). SDR14757.

<4> Thornes, R (RCHME), 1989, The Old Hall Hotel, The Crescent, Buxton, RCHME Historic Building Report (Unpublished document). SDR19248.

<5> Thornes, R & Leach, J, 1991, 'Buxton Old Hall: The Earl of Shrewsbury's Tower House rediscovered', Archaeological Journal (Article in serial). SDR19247.

Sources and Further Reading

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.