North Lees Hall

Description

North Lees Hall is an interesting example of a tower house, uncommon in these parts. Mainly 16th century with later alterations it is possible that the core is earlier. A 3-storey stone building on a basement with stone-mullioned windows and embattled parapet. Remains of elaborate plaster decoration (restored in the 1960's) and panelling in various rooms. Moulded string courses, stone stacks and transomed windows. A 2-storey wing on the right is of ordinary domestic character. (Derbyshire HER–ref. 1963 listing report)

Tower house with lower attached domestic range. Late C16, with some C19 refashioning, and restored in 1965. Coursed rubble gritstone, rising from a chamfered plinth, with quoins, embattled ashlar parapet with moulded merlons and formerly with a lead roof, now with an asphalt covering. Tower house incorporates a taller stair tower to north east corner, to which is attached a domestic two storey range to the north east. Tower House, south east elevation; three storeys and parapet above basement. Stacked 6-light recessed hollow chamfer mullioned and transomed windows, the one to the first floor beneath a hoodmould with stops, those to the ground and second floors beneath continuous dripmoulds. C20 casements, those to ground floor openings with diamond leaded lights to upper parts. Taller stair tower projects slightly to rear of main tower with single lights within chamfered surrounds to light staircase half landings. North west elevation; projecting stack carried on corbels at height of first floor window heads, and a wide doorway to ground floor with deep chamfers to jambs and lintel. South west elevation has four 4-light hollow chamfer mullioned openings to north west end, and three 3-light hollow chamfer mullioned and transomed windows to south east, indicating a change in floor levels in the rear part of the tower. Full height stack projects between windows, now truncated at parapet level, but with base for diagonal stone chimneys. Domestic range adjoins the stair tower, and is possibly a later and lower rebuilding of an earlier range. Stone slated roof with intermediate and end stacks, and coped gables with moulded kneelers. Two storeys, three bays with advanced gabled range off-centre, to north east of doorway, which has a moulded surround with a plain planked door. 3-light chamfer mullioned windows above doorways with casements. Former C19 3-light mullioned and transomed window to gabled range, now with lower part replaced by C20 joinery. C20 casement to opening with heavy lintel to north east end. Interior; the tower is served by an oak newel stair, and has moulded stone doorcases leading into the principal rooms. The ground and first floor rooms have moulded plaster ceilings which, together with the rest of the interior, were extensively restored in 1965. The ground floor plaster work is dated 1594, with a moulded frieze and a moulded soffit to the main spine beam. The first floor plaster work is more elaborate, with moulded ceiling panels, as well as a frieze, and spine beam soffit. Both ground and first floor rooms have moulded stone surrounds to the hearths and Tudor arched heads, and carved chamfer stops to the jambs. (Derbyshire HER–ref. 1985 listing report)

Comments

Described as a Tower House and therefore comes up as 'fortified house' but clearly entirely domestic, despite the crenelations. The earlier core may have been a defensible tower. Gatehouse suspects if this house was in the Scottish marches it would be clearly described as starting as fortified tower by all the usual sources and authorities.
Formerly in the management of The Vivat Trust and available as a holiday let, however the Trust went into liquidation in 2015. The house is now back in the management by the Peak District National Park Authority and continues, at the time being, to be residentially let.