Description

BUXTON

SK0573SE THE SQUARE
616-1/4/77 (North side)
25/01/51 Old Hall Hotel
(Formerly Listed as:
THE CRESCENT
Old Hall Hotel)

GV II*

Town house, now hotel. 1572, altered 1672, rebuilt 1725-35,
extended mid C18 and 1795-1805, with late C19 refenestration
and C20 alterations. Originally built for the Earl and
Countess of Shrewsbury. Ashlar gritstone and render with
ashlar dressings and Welsh slate hipped roofs and stone
stacks.
EXTERIOR: 3 storeys, with 2-storey and single-storey
additions, and basement to east facade.
Main front has 3-storey main block left, 5 windows arranged
1:3:1, with slightly projecting side wings. Plinth, raised
quoins and bands to wings, topped by moulded cornice and
rebuilt ashlar parapet.
Central doorway has Tuscan Doric columns and entablature,
moulded concave door surround, overlight and double doors.
Either side two 2/2 sashes in moulded surrounds, above central
2/2 sash within moulded round headed surround flanked by 2
tall 2/2 sashes in moulded surrounds, above again 5 similar
smaller sashes.
Later 2-storey wing to left has 6 windows arranged 3:3, with
plinth, first-floor sill band and moulded eaves. 6 large 2/2
sashes to ground floor and 6 smaller sashes above.
4-window single-storey range beyond with similar sashes.
East front has irregular 8-window front arranged 2:3:3, right
section 4 storeys. Quoins, plinth, bands and moulded cornice
with plain parapet partly rendered.
Left section has two 2/2 sashes to lower 2 floors and 2 narrow
4/4 sashes above.
Central section has central doorway with ashlar door surround
and above 2 single 2/2 windows in continuous vertical panel,
and either side 3-storey canted bay windows with similar
sashes, the upper bays added late C19. Right section has 3
round arched openings to ground floor and 3 cross casements
above with three 2/2 sashes above and above again 3 smaller
similar sashes.
INTERIOR: shows sections of original C16 building survive
encased within later additions. Surviving features include 3
ft. thick original walling, exposed wall studding to basement,

doorways with depressed arched lintels and chamfered and
stopped surrounds, some re-used, concealed mullion windows;
original plasterwork to first floor principal room with
encased beam with rolled mouldings. Second floor has blocked
4-light mullioned and transomed windows (concealed). Flues
have been removed.
The early C18 staircase rises from the entrance corridor.
The kitchen fireplace probably also early C18.
Later features include a C19 bow window to ground floor
office, positioned to overlook corridor.
HISTORY: until recently it was believed that the 1572 building
was demolished in 1670. The original building reputed to have
been one of many houses belonging to the Earl of Shrewsbury
used to imprison Mary Queen of Scots. Later guests included
Celia Fiennes (1697).
(The Buildings of England: Pevsner N: Derbyshire:
Harmondsworth: 1953-1986: 115; Thornes R: The Old Hall Hotel ,
Buxton.; Morris C: The Journeys of Celia Fiennes: London:
1947-: 103).

Listing NGR: SK0575473477

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Old Hall Hotel at Wikipedia
• Old Hall Hotel official website
• Wikidata Q17546243

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Pevsner's Architectural Glossary (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Central Leinster: Kildare, Laois and Offaly (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides): Written by Charles O'Brien, 2014 Edition, Publisher: Yale University Press [Hardcover]
• 
  Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy
• 
  [(Bedfordshire, Huntingdon and Peterborough)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1968)
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990: Updated version