Breadsall Priory

Breadsall Priory

Country house, now hotel, golf and country club. Built on the site of a 13th-century Augustinian priory of which a fragment survives.

The main house is an Elizabethan E-plan house facing east, greatly enlarged and remodelled around 1861 by Robert Scrivener and with a west wing of 1906, both in Elizabethan style. The building is constructed of gritstone ashlar with plain tile roofs, stone coped gables with plain kneelers, and various ashlar ridge and gable stacks. It ranges from two to three storeys.

The south elevation comprises six irregular bays. From left to right: single light recessed and chamfered mullion windows to each floor. A projecting gabled bay contains a full height square bay window with two cross windows to the ground floor, a pair of 3-light windows above with two transoms, and another pair of 3-light windows above with a transom. Moulded stringcourses run through the elevation. Above the bay window, the gable contains a 2-light window. To the right is a two-bay open arcade with segmental arches within which are two round-arched windows with glazing bars. A canted oriel above has 1-3-2 lights with two transoms and a plain parapet. A 4-light mullioned and transomed window sits above with moulded stringcourses. To the right is a single light window to the first and second floors, where the 1899 wing joins the earlier house. A gabled bay features a two-storey 19th-century canted bay with 2-4-2 light mullioned windows, the upper ones trefoiled with quatrefoils above, and a castellated parapet. A 4-light mullioned and transomed window above has trefoiled lights. A corbelled-out stair turret stands to the right. A 16th-century 3-light mullioned and transomed window sits above again. A projecting square tower to the right has an ogee doorway with crockets and fleurons, and colonnettes with stiff-leaf capitals. Above is a 3-light mullioned and transomed window with trefoiled lights, an intermediate 2-light window, and a further 3-light 16th-century mullioned and transomed window. The tower is topped with a castellated parapet and corbelled-out polygonal angle turrets.

The east elevation of six irregular bays contains, on its left tower, three 3-light mullioned and transomed windows, the upper two being 16th-century. Three gabled bays follow, the third cut by a projecting wing. The fenestration is circa 1861, comprising 2, 3 and 4-light mullioned and transomed windows with hoodmoulds, some with trefoiled heads. A projecting 15th-century style porch has polygonal angle turrets and a parapet with lozenge frieze. A projecting wing to the right features a castellated canted bay window of 1-4-1 lights, two cross windows above, and a castellated parapet with corbelled-out polygonal turrets.

The irregular north elevation contains 16th-century 3-light mullioned and transomed windows in the gables and remains of several other 16th-century windows below, broken into by later windows. A castellated wall attached to the south west has two gothic doorways, the latter flanked by re-set carved pilasters.

The interior preserves the remains of one 13th-century doorway with roll moulding. The entrance hall dates from circa 1861 and features a two-bay Perpendicular style arcade and two other similar archways. The staircase has twisted balusters. The drawing room contains a 19th-century gothic chimneypiece and Adam style doorcases. The library and billiard room date from 1906 and display lavish 17th-century style carved oak woodwork and plaster ceilings. The billiard room includes a fireplace bay with a gallery above. Off the entrance hall stands a large gothic door with elaborate wrought iron work, made by Mr Haslam for the 1851 exhibition. The dining room features Elizabethan style carving and plaster work.

Historical context: the Augustinian priory was founded in the 13th century and suppressed in 1536. It was granted to Henry, Duke of Suffolk, in 1552 and sold in the same year to Thomas Babington. In 1799 it became the property of Erasmus Darwin, who died here in 1802.