Hopton Hall
Encyclopedia
Hopton Hall is an 18th century country house at Hopton
, near Wirksworth
, Derbyshire
. It is a Grade II listed building.
The Manor of Hopton , anciently the seat of the de Hopton family, was acquired by the Gell family in 1553 by Ralph Gell (1491–1564) who also purchased lands at Darley Abbey
and Rocester
.
John Gell was created a Baronet
in 1642 (see Gell Baronets
).
The Baronetcy was extinct in 1719 and the estate passed to John Eyre who changed his name to Gell.
The house has its origins in the 16th century when it was built by Thomas Gell as a two storey three bay manor house
. It was extended and remodelled by Philip Gell in the late 18th century. The north entrance front has three storeys and seven bays, flanked by tower wings with pyramidal roofs.
Notable members of the Gell family include Philip Gell's younger brother, Admiral John Gell and Philip's son Sir William Gell
.
Philip Gell's daughter and heiress, married William Pole Thornhill
MP, on whose death the estate passed to his kinsman Henry Pole, later known as Henry Chandos-Pole-Gell
(High Sheriff of Derbyshire
) in 1886.
The estate of some 3700 acres (15 km²) was broken up in the 20th century. A major part was sold to a water authority for the creation of Carsington Reservoir
. The house passed out of the family in 1995.
Hopton, Derbyshire
Hopton is a hamlet in the English county of Derbyshire.It is south west of Wirksworth and at the northern end of Carsington Water.The village had a long association with the Gell family who had extensive lead mining interests in the Wirksworth area and lived at Hopton Hall...
, near Wirksworth
Wirksworth
Wirksworth is a small market town in Derbyshire, England, with a population of over 9,000.The population of the Wirksworth area including Cromford, Bolehill and Middleton-by-Wirksworth is about 12,000. Wirksworth is listed in the Domesday Book in 1086. Within it is the source of the River...
, Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
. It is a Grade II listed building.
The Manor of Hopton , anciently the seat of the de Hopton family, was acquired by the Gell family in 1553 by Ralph Gell (1491–1564) who also purchased lands at Darley Abbey
Darley Abbey
Darley Abbey is a village on the outskirts of Derby, England. The village is located on the River Derwent and is associated with the world heritage site of Derwent Valley Mills.- History :...
and Rocester
Rocester
Rocester is a village and civil parish in the East Staffordshire district of Staffordshire, England. Its name is spelt Rowcestre in the Domesday Book.-Geography:...
.
John Gell was created a Baronet
Baronet
A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown...
in 1642 (see Gell Baronets
Gell Baronets
The Gell Baronetcy, of Hopton in the County of Derby, was a title in the Baronetage of England. It was created on 29 January 1642 for John Gell, Hopton Hall, Derbyshire, chief barmaster in the wapentake of Wirksworth from 1638–1644. The family gained importance and wealthy through their lead...
).
The Baronetcy was extinct in 1719 and the estate passed to John Eyre who changed his name to Gell.
The house has its origins in the 16th century when it was built by Thomas Gell as a two storey three bay manor house
Manor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
. It was extended and remodelled by Philip Gell in the late 18th century. The north entrance front has three storeys and seven bays, flanked by tower wings with pyramidal roofs.
Notable members of the Gell family include Philip Gell's younger brother, Admiral John Gell and Philip's son Sir William Gell
William Gell
Sir William Gell was an English classical archaeologist and illustrator.-Life:Born at Hopton in Derbyshire, the son of Philip Gell and Dorothy Milnes...
.
Philip Gell's daughter and heiress, married William Pole Thornhill
William Pole Thornhill
William Pole Thornhill was a British Whig and then Liberal Party politician. He sat in the House of Commons from 1853 to 1865....
MP, on whose death the estate passed to his kinsman Henry Pole, later known as Henry Chandos-Pole-Gell
Henry Chandos Pole Gell
Henry Chandos Pole Gell was a High Sheriff of Derbyshire in 1867. He took the additional surname Gell when he inherited the Gell fortune in 1842. His main residence was at Heverswood in Kent as he leased Hopton Hall to a relative.-Biography:Henry Chandos Pole was the second son of Edward...
(High Sheriff of Derbyshire
High Sheriff of Derbyshire
This is a list of High Sheriffs of Derbyshire from 1568.The High Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the High Sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in the county but over the centuries most of the responsibilities associated with the post have been...
) in 1886.
The estate of some 3700 acres (15 km²) was broken up in the 20th century. A major part was sold to a water authority for the creation of Carsington Reservoir
Carsington Reservoir
Carsington Water is a reservoir operated by Severn Trent Water in Derbyshire, England. The reservoir takes water from the River Derwent at Ambergate during winter months, pumping up to the reservoir by long tunnels and aqueduct. Water is released back into the river during summer months for water...
. The house passed out of the family in 1995.