Sutton Scarsdale Hall

Sutton Scarsdale Hall is the roofless shell of a Georgian mansion built between 1724 and 1729 above the Derbyshire countryside. Its columned exterior still expresses the scale of the original house, while traces of decorative plasterwork survive within the walls. The interiors were dismantled in 1919, with some elements exported to America, leaving the building open to the sky. Today the interest lies in reading those surviving details and imagining how the rooms once fitted behind the imposing facade. Recent conservation has reopened most internal areas, and the surrounding grass slopes towards a ha-ha beside the parish church. Reviewers especially enjoy the distant views and opportunities for architectural photographs. Approach through the residential Hall Drive and use the small designated car park considerately. There are no public toilets, and the access-road gate is locked outside the site's seasonal opening hours.