The Great House , January 23

[Stealthstar79]

The History-
The Great House was built in 1698 for members of an old Kegworth family, the Suttons.

Architecturally it is an important house, since it belongs to a short period in English architecture, that of William and Mary. The seventeenth century was important in England in many ways since it marks the transition from the old rather primitive medieval ways of house - building, social conditions, education etc., to a more sophisticated and richer way of life initiated by The Revival of Learning, called the Renaissance in Italy in the sixteenth century; the decrease in the power of religion and the rise of humanism or the realisation of man's potential as a thinking and rational human being.

This can be seen in the transition from the uncomplicated timber frame houses of the Tudor and Stuart period to the grander brick built and well - designed Georgian houses, two examples of which we have very near to each other in Kegworth and within a stones throw from the Church.

The Great House itself marks a transition between these two. It owes its design to Dutch influence, for William of Orange came from Holland to become King with Mary Stuart as Queen and he brought with him a new style in architecture, a love of tulips and pug dogs, all of which inhabit the Great House.

If one visits the Hague in Holland, many similar examples can be seen typifying the Dutch love of squares, rectangles and order in buildings as in gardens and many other things. Very few houses of this period exist in the country, Risley boasts a fine example, the shell only unfortunately, since the interior has been modernised, another in Leicestershire and ours in Kegworth, which has a fine Swithland Slate roof of graduated green slates. The semicircular steps are a feature of the house and before the level of the A6 road rose, there were more. Similarly, the basement was originally the ground floor, where kitchens and pantries existed and the rooms opening off the entrance hall were the reception rooms, a pattern later followed in most eighteenth century Georgian town and village houses.

But this late seventeenth century house is only one of a series of buildings on this ancient site, Excavations in the cellar have revealed the bases of pillars which supported a structure of the Roman period and a large domed kiln, whose stone Gothic door denotes a date sometime in the twelfth or thirteenth century. So with this history of multiple occupation it is not surprising that there is a history of multiple hauntings.

I'm not ever keen to name locations, but this beautiful , extremely interesting house was too good to not share its history.
I have watched this house for many years, wondering what it looked like inside! I used to see the elderly owners from time to time, who were living in the house in a dilapidated state. The house was deemed inhabitable, and so the couple moved out. Selling hundreds of antiques and paintings at auction. Some rooms took days to empty.
This house had a seriously creepy vibe, and was absolutely freezing inside. Unfortunately a burst pipe is now flooding the cellar where the Roman columns are said to be. It was exciting to finally see inside ...
Welcome to the quirky, colourful Great House.

 

[BikinGlynn]

That does sound a interesting place I assume its listed? Certainly needs saving

 

[sadlerwells]

That does sound a interesting place I assume its listed? Certainly needs saving

Grade II according to Historic England THE GREAT HOUSE, Kegworth - 1074169 | Historic England
Am assuming the background 'history' was taken from this site: Kegworth Village, The Great House

 

[Stealthstar79]

Grade II according to Historic England THE GREAT HOUSE, Kegworth - 1074169 | Historic England
Am assuming the background 'history' was taken from this site: Kegworth

That does sound a interesting place I assume its listed? Certainly needs saving

Yes, Grade ll as sadlerwells said. It really is an amazing place, so much history

 

[Gripper66]

Interesting place, real shame no one has taken this on.

 

[Roderick]

What a fantastic find and nicely recorded. I particularly like the pics of the old newspapers, one even mentions Matlock council thinking of filling in Masson mine which is now a show cave (or at least part of it is). Not sure about the dreadful paint colours, no wonder the place had a creepy feel - previous owners probably turning in their graves though the local village web site mentions a number of old ghosts who are supposed to live there haha