Grade I-listed Elizabethan Hall to go under the hammer
A Grade I-listed Elizabethan mansion dating back to 1583 is scheduled for auction later this month, with a guide price set between £550,000 and £600,000. Barlborough Hall, located in Derbyshire, is attributed to the renowned architect Robert Smythson, known for his work on Hardwick Hall and Wollaton Hall.
The mansion was originally constructed for Sir Francis Rodes, a judge involved in the trial of Mary Queen of Scots. The estate encompasses approximately 14 acres of gardens, lawns, and woodland, and includes nearly 16,000 square feet of accommodation. It also forms part of a Grade II registered park and garden.
Barlborough Hall has been on the market following the closure of Mount St Mary’s College and Barlborough Hall School, which had occupied the property since 1939. The Jesuit-run school went into administration in July 2025, with portions of the estate sold earlier this summer.
The property will be offered at BTG Eddisons Property Auctions’ live stream event on 30 September. James Vandenbrook, associate director at BTG Eddisons Property Auctions, described the hall as “an exceptional property in every sense,” highlighting its rarity as a Grade I-listed Elizabethan house of this scale and its significant architectural heritage.
Vandenbrook noted, “The fact that it dates back to 1583 and is associated with Robert Smythson, whose work includes Hardwick and Wollaton halls, gives it a very special place in the history of English country houses.” He added that the estate presents “enormous potential for its next chapter,” though any future use must comply with its Grade I listing and relevant planning consents.
Surrounded by mature parkland and landscaped grounds, the hall’s size and historic buildings offer possibilities for various future uses, subject to planning and listed building approvals. Vandenbrook emphasised the national architectural significance of Barlborough Hall and anticipated considerable interest in its future.
He said, “Whoever acquires it will have the opportunity, and indeed the responsibility of becoming the next custodian of a unique house that is more than four centuries old.”
Barlborough Hall is situated about seven miles from Chesterfield and ten miles from Sheffield, with convenient access to the M1 motorway at Junction 30 and rail connections providing direct services to London St Pancras.
Further details and bidding information are available at www.btgeddisonspropertyauctions.com.
