Melbourne Hall

Melbourne Hall is a country house of considerable historical importance, located in the Parish of Melbourne. The building originates from the 16th century, with major phases of development around 1630, between 1720 and 1727 (with the most significant work carried out between 1725 and 1726 and designed by Francis Smith of Warwick), and again in 1744 when William Smith designed the east or garden front. Minor later alterations and some early 20th-century additions have been made.

The house is constructed of ashlar stone on the garden front and rubble stone with flush quoins to other elevations. The roof is hipped with graduated Westmorland slate, lead flashing, large rendered ridge stacks, and an external stone stack on the north elevation. The building is two storeys plus attics, arranged in a half H-plan with a seven-bay garden elevation and six-bay south elevation.

The south entrance front features a deeply recessed centre section with a plain first-floor band and plain parapets above a moulded cornice. The western bays contain two glazing bar sashes in early 18th-century surrounds with raised fillet to the edge and raised keystone. The eastern bays have similar windows to the east, with 20th-century double-glazed doors in matching surrounds to the west. The recessed centre part has been rendered and mostly glazed over with an early 20th-century conservatory. To either side are three moulded doorcases with pulvinated friezes, raised corniced keystones and moulded cornices. The centre features a Gibbs surround doorcase with pulvinated frieze and triangular pediment with central circle, flanked by glazing bar sashes matching those on the western bays. Above are ten similar sashes, two to each of the advanced side bays and two to the centre bay with two more to each side. Between the windows on the advanced bays and to either side of the well are fine early 18th-century hopper heads decorated with the Coke achievement. Above again are six hipped roof dormers with small-paned casements.

The garden front displays a plain first-floor band and moulded bracketed stone cornice with plain parapets above. Three centre bays are advanced. The central Gibbs surround doorcase with pulvinated frieze and triangular pediment contains 20th-century double-glazed doors and a divided overlight. To either side are three glazing bar sashes in Gibbs surrounds. Above are seven more sashes in moulded shouldered surrounds on moulded consoles with raised keyblocks. The three central bays feature a moulded pediment with central cartouche flanked by swags.

The west elevation is L-plan with cross timber casement windows in raised plain surrounds plus raised keyblocks to ground and first floor. A plain eaves band sits above with plain parapets and hipped roof dormers. On the north face of the advanced western bay is a moulded early 18th-century doorcase with bracketed stone hood and panelled door below a divided overlight.

The north elevation is irregular, with 19th and 20th-century additions to the ground floor on the west side and early 17th-century mullion and transomed windows with dripmoulds to the east.

The interior contains a wide early 18th-century open well staircase with three knopped balusters per tread, the central balusters twisted and the others plain, with scrolled cheekpieces and panelling to dado height on the opposite wall, plus a plasterwork ceiling above. The hall features a coloured marble bolection moulded fireplace and moulded cornicing. The south room has early 18th-century panelling with corniced doorcases and a contemporary carved marble fireplace. Similar panelling appears in the northern room and other ground floor rooms. The dining room has re-set late 16th or early 17th-century panelling with fluted frieze to the top and an 18th-century marble fireplace with an oak overmantle carved with a central achievement set in a strapwork surround and fluted pilasters to the sides. The date 1596 has been painted on. Upper rooms retain original 18th-century panelled doors and some 18th-century fireplaces. The west wing contains one coloured marble bolection moulded fireplace and a stone spiral staircase.

The house was originally a rectory which was converted into a private residence in 1630 by Sir John Coke, Secretary of State to Charles I. It was subsequently altered by Thomas Coke, Vice Chamberlain to Queen Anne and George I, in the early 18th century. The house later became the home of Lord Melbourne, the first Prime Minister to Queen Victoria (1837-1841), and his wife Lady Caroline Lamb, the authoress. Richard Baxter (1615-1691) began his work 'Saints Everlasting Rest' here.