North Lees Hall

North Lees Hall is believed to Hall has been ascribed to Robert have been the inspiration for Smythson, a prominent architect Thornfield Hall, Mr Rochester’s of the Elizabethan era. North house in Charlotte Bronte’s Lees Hall is owned by the Peak famous novel, . Built District National Park Authority, for William Jessop in the last as part of the property known as decade of the 16th century, the Stanage-North Lees. www.peakdistrict.gov.uk /stanage-northlees Robert Smythson also responsible for the design The principal ground of Hardwick New Hall, built in the floor room has an elaborate In the late 16th century 1590s for Bess of Hardwick, the plaster frieze at its architecture was a profession wife of George Talbot. cornice height. Partially in its infancy. Born between reconstructed in 1964 from 1535 and 1537, Robert Smythson a few remaining fragments was one of this country’s first Description of the Building the frieze now incorporates practitioners. Among his most three inscriptions: over the notable achievements is the Aside from its recognisably south window, Velle suum remarkable Wollaton Hall Smythsonian characteristics, quis est nec voto vivitur (Nottinghamshire) and it is likely North Lees Hall is of particular uno (Everyone has their own he was also responsible for the architectural interest in that notion of what pleases them final form of the great house at it incorporates elements of a and tastes differ); over the east Longleat in Wiltshire. regional building style now window Vincit qui patitur 1594 No documentation survives referred to as the North Midlands (He who suffers, conquers) and to verify the identity of the High House, the characteristics of above the west window, the architect of North Lees Hall, which are height, compactness motto of former owners the but the attribution to Smythson of plan and a turreted Beach family Tout en bonne Thornfield has been made on stylistic outline. Examples include Old heure 1964 (All in good time). Hall, home to grounds. Especially characteristic Chatsworth, Lord Shrewsbury’s The fireplace here is the largest in her Byronic hero, Mr Rochester. of Smythson is the building’s house at Buxton and Queen the building suggesting that this The name of the fictional Hall ingenious split-level interior Mary’s Tower at Sheffield Manor room was a more public and/or a clearly stems from its factual layout which uses a variety (built 1574). more functional space. counterpart: ‘thorn’ is an of floor and ceiling heights, North Lees Hall comprises The large room on the first anagram of ‘north’ and ‘field’ providing a combination of a minimum of three distinct floor was the foremost chamber stems from the Anglo-Saxon halls and great chambers to the building phases. The tower wing of the house boasting a splendid word ‘leah’, later ‘lee’, meaning front in conjunction with smaller to the west is part attributed frieze of unusual motifs which woodland glade or field. Bronte domestic rooms to the rear. to Smythson. The entrance hall may have been the stock in describes many features of North Further support for the dates from the early 17th century trade of local plasterers. Its fine Lees in the novel, including ascription lies in the putative and the low east wing is a 19th- decorative plaster ceiling depicts the battlemented façade, the connection of Smythson with century remodelling of an earlier heraldic shields, leaping beasts view from the roof and the William Jessop who, in the 1590s, construction. The stately rooms and fleurs de lis. Apostles Cabinet, a unique item is thought to have commissioned on the south side of the tower of furniture belonging to the the late Elizabethan tower wing occupy three floors over Eyre’s. The legend of a mad house we see today at North a basement and are lit by large Literary Connections woman at North Lees, reputed Lees. Jessop may well have stone mullioned windows. Behind to have perished in a fire, may become acquainted with the them smaller, more private Charlotte Bronte paid ‘two or have been the inspiration for Mrs work of Smythson through his chambers have been organised three visits’ to North Lees Hall Rochester’s dramatic demise. professional relationship with on four floors. The spiral elm stair, when staying with her friend The Eyre’s who were a local George Talbot, sixth Earl of which also gives access to the Ellen Nussey in Hathersage. family, resided at North Lees Shrewsbury who had asked leaded roof, is housed in a square Such was the impression the Hall for two generations during the Smythson to design and remodel tower in the angle of the building made upon her that in the novel 15th Century. They took up the his house at Worksop Manor, between the tower wing and low Jane Eyre (first published 1847) tenancy again in 1750 and lived Nottinghamshire. Smythson was east wing. she used it as the model for there until 1882. The Restoration of the Building In 1971, the Peak Park Joint Planning Board purchased the By the middle years of the 20th North Lees Estate. In 1987, the century, North Lees Hall was in Board leased the tower wing a state of dereliction: roofless to The Vivat Trust to manage and with blocked and broken and let as distinctive holiday windows. Inroads made by the accommodation. By this time, weather had caused ceilings to the building was again in a collapse, partially destroying state of disrepair and The historic decorative plaster. Vivat Trust undertook a second Happily, the buildings solid refurbishment, which involved the three-foot thick millstone grit removal of internal partitions and walls maintained their structural improvements to the plumbing stability. and heating systems and Thanks entirely to the electrical circuits. commitment and resolve of A third phase of improvements the last private owner, Sir to the building has been Hugh Beach, the restoration undertaken including vital of North Lees Hall was begun repairs to the roof, re-wiring, in 1962. Under the supervision soundproofing and the of the architect Lt. Col. Gerald installation of a new heating Haythornwaite, the Hall was system. The building has also repaired and converted into a been equipped with furniture guesthouse for visitors to the appropriate to the period Peak National Park. The large including traditional rooms were divided into smaller designs. units, to house people in hostel The building is now back in the style accommodation. Pictures management of the taken in 1904 were used to aid National Park Authority. the reconstruction of the water- damaged plaster ceiling to the first floor room.