Empty country houses become liabilities and in the case of Hickleton Hall in South Yorkshire, the result of years of neglect will likely be either further decline or conversion into flats.
Offered for sale in 2015 for £2 million (at that time complete with its since separated stable block), this Grade II* listed Georgian stately home was built between 1745 and 1748 of limestone ashlar for a banker named Godfrey Wentworth. It was subsequently home to the Whig politician and Chancellor of the Exchequer Charles Wood, 1st Viscount Halifax from 1846 to 1885 and then used by the army during the Second World War.
Two stories to keep beside you
An Electric Mansion
Victorian New York state mansion in the area where the world’s first execution by electric chair occurred goes on sale for just £37,000 in spite of being tax assessed for a far higher sum “Vegetable peddler and known alcoholic” William Kemmler (1860 – 1890) was the first person in the world to be legally executed […]
Disputing a mansion
Haremere Hall is an East Sussex mansion requiring renovation that has been the subject of a rather bitter familial dispute
Converted first to a girls’ school in the 1940s, Hickleton Hall became a Sue Ryder Home in the 1960s. That closed in 2012 and in the years since fate has been anything but kind to the building. Described on a dedicated website as “eye-catching” but affected by subsidence and fissures caused by coal mining, the “asbestos riddled” structure has been targeted by vandals and thieves.
The 34,000 square foot building was valued at a sum of between £525,000 and £825,000 in 2016 but is now for sale for £1.5 million through agents Fisher German. Their marketing brochure – which uses images of the mansion in better times – lists it as now coming with just 14.72 acres of land and planning permission for conversion into 20 apartments.
Hickleton Hall – The Numbers
October 2017 – For sale for £1.5 million ($2 million, €1.7 million or درهم7.3 million) through Fisher German.
February 2016 – Valued at £525,000 to £825,000 ($693,000 to $1.1 million, €589,000 to €926,000 or درهم2.5 million to درهم4 million) by Christie & Co. Remedial work to restore the hall estimated at least £1.75 million ($2.3 million, €2 million or درهم8.5 million).
April 2014 – For sale for £2 million ($2.6 million, €2.2 million or درهم9.7 million) through Hamptons.
Readers have their say
16 comments
My favoured wrecking ball could have a lot of fun here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Knock it down!!!!!!!!!!!!! Waste of space and completely inefficient!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! An ugly mess!!!!!!!!!!!! Ridiculous and on a mining fault too!!!!!!!!!!!!! Pathetic!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A sad story indeed. A beautiful building but likely it won’t be preserved/restored to a single home ever. What a true pity and I only hope the developer that buys it will be sensitive to its heritage.
At least it was not demolished – unlike so many other great English country houses were in the 1950s.
It could be converted into lovely assisted living flats. Sue Ryder should do that instead of sell it. They would be so beautiful and would give homes for appreciative elders.
Hi idea but totally impractical to turn into assisted living apartments with requirements for fire regs, lifts, disabled access etc etc.
Yes, Ethel…. stairs…. stairs and arthritic knees are not a good combo. And who would pay the presumably exorbitant maintenance costs for the old dears?
Looked it up on Google Earth: A shame about the housing estate behind it.
This was a lovely house….it is so sad to see what became of it ……I do not know if it can be restored….there may be too much damage….
What a waste of a truly beautiful building.
I am very sad to see Hickleton Hall getting more and more deteriorated. It was still in good condition in 2013. A local mansion where yearly garden parties were a joy to attend for many of us locally.
It’s got great pertential
Such a beautiful building. Doncaster has only Cusworth Hall and Brodsworth Hall open to the public. Rossington Hall is now owned privately and successful. Anita is right, “Its got great potential”, and could be another privately owned eg. Hotel, flats, or open as a public museum, work shops, tea rooms etc.
When I was 8 I lived at the Hall with my Mum & Dad and Sister ,it was the school then ,I find it so sad to see it as it is today if I had the money I would love it to be like it was , it was a lovely time of my life ,I just wish someone would love it like I still do after all these years and I am 75 .
Dzień dobry. Nie znam jeżyją angielskiego wiec pisze po polski. Widzę że mieszkał pan w latach kiedy mieszkał tam mój wujek Eugeniusz Ulczyński. Czy coś pan pamięta?
EDITORIAL – Google translation: “Good day. I don’t know English, so I write in Polish. I see that you lived in the years when my uncle, Eugeniusz Ulczyński, lived there. Do you remember anything?”
is status as a hall should be restored as in made into apartments of hits historical level it should not be knocked to the ground if it does its criminal
Yes, a great pity – a magnificent building with potential for development, though not without high cost implications. Our heritage at risk.
Worked there for 7yrs when it was a Sue Ryder Home – and l remember most of the Polish residents, too!