Brocket Hall

Brocket Hall is a large rectangular mansion built between approximately 1760 and 1780 by James Paine for Sir Mathew Lamb and his son, Sir Penistone Lamb (later Lord Melbourne). The house represents a piecemeal reconstruction of an earlier courtyard house, with a grand staircase incorporated into the courtyard space. The exterior is primarily red brick with stone dressings, and a Westmoreland slate roof. The building has three storeys, an attic, and a basement. It retains mostly original sash windows with glazing bars. Gauged brick lintels, continuous stone sill bands, and a moulded cornice are notable features.

The southwest-facing entrance front has nine windows, with a three-window central section that is slightly projecting and topped by a raised pedimented attic. A stone Ionic doorcase features three-quarter engaged columns, an entablature, and a pediment. Dressed stone surrounds the first-floor window in the centre of the southwest elevation, and the central ground and first-floor windows of the flanking walls. A stone armorial plaque is set into the attic pediment. The southwest elevation displays a 1:3:1 window arrangement, with the central section projecting slightly and featuring tall, round-headed ground-floor windows with three-quarter engaged Ionic columns. A roof attic covers the entire central section. Cantilevered window bays are located at either end of the elevation. The northeast elevation is three storeys high and follows an ABCBA window composition. The outer bays have ground and first-floor Venetian windows, and second-floor therm windows. Intermediate bays feature three-storey canted windows. The central bay has ground and first-floor relieving arches over single windows. The northwest service elevation demonstrates a plain three-window projecting centre.

The interior includes a top-lit staircase hall, with a gallery featuring honeysuckle pattern railings and columns with spiral-fluted lower sections. Alcoves at either end of the hall are capped with circular and oval saucer domes. A large saloon features a gilt coved ceiling. Paintings were designed and begun by John Hamilton Mortimer, and completed by Wheatley. The library contains bookcases by Chippendale, and an Adam-style ceiling with inset panels by Cipriani. The second Viscount Melbourne lived at Brocket Hall with his wife, Lady Caroline Ponsonby, and died there in 1848. Viscount Palmerston also died at the house in 1865.