A pleasant, historical, surprise!
Today was a strange day you could say. It started with the best intentions. My wife and children had disappeared to the town centre for some of the Queens 90th Birthday celebrations. I, an ardent republican, since my late teens took the opportunity to then go for a walk in the opposite direction. I knew i had about an hour or so.
When viewed from the Old Church you can view the rear sections of the house. This then leads to a greater understanding of how badly treated this little gem has been treated. Sadly, much of the 17th Century interior and fittings were removed by the first owners. It has also seen three large fires. The most recent in 2015 damaged a lot of the internal house and now, almost roofless, the interior is further attacked by the weather.
This brings me back to my previous point. If the Chaworth-Musters had gifted or provided the House to the National Trust, English Heritage the state of conservation would undoubtedly be better and access to heritage funding, easier. (Note that the Annesley old Church, secured £450,000 of funding in the last few years). As a private residence it will not secure public funding. Herein lies the issue, really.
The above, is just a heartbreaking view. To see the state that this, once, great, hunting lodge has been allowed to fall into. It should always be remembered that the hall although depreciating in value sits within a large estate, which has seen quite a few attempted planning applications to develop. Any purchase would require the landlord to be paid not only for the hall and the land, but where he to donate the hall, then you would need the land too, to make the most of the site. This is, ultimately, what he is sitting on. A large piece of land. The Council has made repeated attempts to purchase the estate. All to no avail. The worst case scenerio would be demolition. This would deprive an area, of cultural deprivation, a further piece of its heritage. It must be remembered that, as an area, Ashfield does not have huge amounts of historical heritage left. There are very few Grade I or II listed buildings, for example. it would be a terrible shame to lose one of the finest we do have.
This view, looking away from the back internal wall in the above photo, may look like a garden, but was in fact all part of the internal fabric of the House. As, from my viewpoint (The Yellow dot). The above area is covered by the Red circle.
And if you look close enough at one of the photos above, you can make out a green tiled fireplace mid way up the wall.
This photo also shows the full site, including the old Church (top, middle ruin). One can only imagine the potential tourism that may well have been generated had the site been preserved, like Newstead Abbey.
Feeling enthused. Following my week of essentially eating steamed vegetables (another, depressing, story). I calculated that I might well be able to head out to visit, or pass near a place that has always fascinated me but I had never really visited before; Annesley Hall.
For those who don't know the area. One of the most important families were/are The Chaworth-Musters. The Chaworth's inherited Annesley Hall, when Sir George Chaworth married Anne Annesley, who brought with her the Annesley estate. Descendent's followed until the last Chaworth, Mary married a Jack Musters. This began the Chaworth-Musters family who continue to this day to be the main titled family around Annesley. They live in Felley Priory. They moved here after they sold Annesley Hall in 1973. This was their last, main estate, having sold Wiverton Hall & Colwick Hall (now a hotel) in 1896.
The period from 1973 to the present day is a sad tale of decline and vandalism on the Grade II listed building. It now lies unloved and unkept. An architectural victim to weather. It is the faded twin star to it's near neighbour, Newstead Abbey.
Interesting Digressions here: (the Byron's and Chaworth's being cousins. Ironically, Colwick Hall, was brought into the Chaworth family when Mary Charworth married Jack Musters, who inherited Colwick Hall from his father. The Musters themselves in around 1660 having bought Colwick Hall from the previous owners, the Byron family, who then moved into Newstead Abbey. Colwick Hall is now a hotel)
Interesting Digressions here: (the Byron's and Chaworth's being cousins. Ironically, Colwick Hall, was brought into the Chaworth family when Mary Charworth married Jack Musters, who inherited Colwick Hall from his father. The Musters themselves in around 1660 having bought Colwick Hall from the previous owners, the Byron family, who then moved into Newstead Abbey. Colwick Hall is now a hotel)
So, what we have left is a building at risk, acknowledged by English Heritage on its buildings at risk list. You do have to wonder that when, in the 1931, Newstead Abbey was sold to what was then Nottingham Corporation, now, Nottingham City Council. Its preservation, although costly, has seen the Abbey survive and begin to thrive as an income generating tourist centre. Although, Annesley Hall does not have the romantic attachment of the Poet Byron's name and fame. Had this too been passed to a council, or the National Trust, or the historic Buildings and Monuments Commission (which, ultimately, became English Heritage). Perhaps today we would have another exceptional, 16/17th Tourist attraction. Instead, sold privately it has been passed from hand to hand in an ever declining state of disrepair. The classic 'what if...?' question.
However, we are were we are. And as you can see from below (this view from Dog & Bear Lane), Annesley Hall stands neglected.
However, we are were we are. And as you can see from below (this view from Dog & Bear Lane), Annesley Hall stands neglected.
Approaching from Dog and Bear Lane, the public bridleway, you pass closely to the boarded up, and broken windows of the Stable block. This also housed the servants quarters, dairy, butchery, etc.
This is as close as you can realistically get. Though it gives you the sense that the stable block would have made a great location for the entranceway shop; coffee shop with rooms like in Brodsworth Hall showing the way in which the servants who lived here would have lived.
When viewed from the Old Church you can view the rear sections of the house. This then leads to a greater understanding of how badly treated this little gem has been treated. Sadly, much of the 17th Century interior and fittings were removed by the first owners. It has also seen three large fires. The most recent in 2015 damaged a lot of the internal house and now, almost roofless, the interior is further attacked by the weather.
Further evidence of the damage can be seen above and below. Both Photos taken from the Old Church site (The near proximity to this originally, Norman Church, allowed the Chaworth Musters to build steps leading to it from the House) shows the terrible state of disrepair. It is hard to imagine that any rescue conservation would not be in the 10's of Millions of Pounds range. Which brings the other question. How could this be secured when it is a private property with a landlord, unwilling or unable to sell?
This brings me back to my previous point. If the Chaworth-Musters had gifted or provided the House to the National Trust, English Heritage the state of conservation would undoubtedly be better and access to heritage funding, easier. (Note that the Annesley old Church, secured £450,000 of funding in the last few years). As a private residence it will not secure public funding. Herein lies the issue, really.
If, hypothetically, the buildings are donated to English Heritage. The cost would be immense to bring the building up to a safety standard to allow the public either near the grounds, or, into the actual house (Some parts of the house are roofed and water-tight).
Just looking at these photos, it would be a herculean task just to remove the detritus from inside the building. Let alone beginning to survey the interior of the building
Just looking at these photos, it would be a herculean task just to remove the detritus from inside the building. Let alone beginning to survey the interior of the building
The above, is just a heartbreaking view. To see the state that this, once, great, hunting lodge has been allowed to fall into. It should always be remembered that the hall although depreciating in value sits within a large estate, which has seen quite a few attempted planning applications to develop. Any purchase would require the landlord to be paid not only for the hall and the land, but where he to donate the hall, then you would need the land too, to make the most of the site. This is, ultimately, what he is sitting on. A large piece of land. The Council has made repeated attempts to purchase the estate. All to no avail. The worst case scenerio would be demolition. This would deprive an area, of cultural deprivation, a further piece of its heritage. It must be remembered that, as an area, Ashfield does not have huge amounts of historical heritage left. There are very few Grade I or II listed buildings, for example. it would be a terrible shame to lose one of the finest we do have.
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| http://www.annesleyheritage.co.uk/annesley-hall-a-proud-monument-to-the-past/ |
And if you look close enough at one of the photos above, you can make out a green tiled fireplace mid way up the wall.
This photo also shows the full site, including the old Church (top, middle ruin). One can only imagine the potential tourism that may well have been generated had the site been preserved, like Newstead Abbey.
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