Wirksworth Hall
The rear of Wirksworth Hall in Coldwell Street, photoed about 1920,
with a nice view of the Parish church.
The house was rebuilt in 1779 for Charles Hurt and his wife Susannah,
who was the daughter of Sir Richard Arkwright (the marriage was in 1780).
The architect for the
rebuilding was probably Joseph Pickford of Derby. The Hall was
two-and-a-half storeys in height, and the picture shows the two bay
single-storey ballroom which was added in the nineteenth century. The
house was sold in 1858 to Nicholas Wood and to "a local person" in
1918. The house was demolished in 1922, due to
subsidence as it had
been built over an old mine. All that remains is the
Old Manse, stables and coach house in Blind Lane.
See Census
1861,
1881
"Charles HURT, Francis' younger son, who continued the
family's lead smelting business at Wirksworth and built
Wirksworth Hall (1779) as his residence, was painted by
Wright as a young man of fashion, who became a great book
collector and was interested in mathematics and astronomy.
Charles married Susannah, daughter of Sir Richard Arkwright
and Wright painted a charming portrait of her with her
daughter Mary Anne (was later to marry Peter Arkwright).
Susannah's family likeness is clearly recognisable, but she
lost the coarseness of her father's features. The major
difference between the Arkwrights and the Hurts was in their
origins. Richard Arkwright had come from a poor Lancashire
family, and his talents had been backed financially by
Jedediah Strutt and Samuel Need who set him up on the road
to prosperity. Francis Hurt, on the other hand, came from an
old Ashbourne gentry family which had purchased the manor of
Castern".
Dates:
Photo taken:
Size:Postcard
Source:
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"Charles HURT, Francis' younger son, who continued the family's lead smelting business at Wirksworth and built Wirksworth Hall (1779) as his residence, was painted by Wright as a young man of fashion, who became a great book collector and was interested in mathematics and astronomy. Charles married Susannah, daughter of Sir Richard Arkwright and Wright painted a charming portrait of her with her daughter Mary Anne (was later to marry Peter Arkwright). Susannah's family likeness is clearly recognisable, but she lost the coarseness of her father's features. The major difference between the Arkwrights and the Hurts was in their origins. Richard Arkwright had come from a poor Lancashire family, and his talents had been backed financially by Jedediah Strutt and Samuel Need who set him up on the road to prosperity. Francis Hurt, on the other hand, came from an old Ashbourne gentry family which had purchased the manor of Castern".
Dates:
Photo taken:
Size:Postcard
Source:
Click on photo for enlargement (on CD only)
Have any more information about this photo?
Please e-mail the author on:
Click on photo for enlargement (on CD only)
Have any more information about this photo?
Please e-mail the author on: