Willersley Castle is a late 18th century country mansion situated above the River Derwent

River Derwent, Derbyshire

The Derwent is a river in the county of Derbyshire, England. It is 66 miles long and is a tributary of the River Trent which it joins south of Derby. For half its course, the river flows through the Peak District....

 at Cromford

Cromford

Cromford is a village, two miles to the south of Matlock in the Derbyshire Dales district in Derbyshire, England. It is principally known for its historical connection with Richard Arkwright, and the Cromford Mill which he built here in 1771...

, 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...

 which is now a Grade II* listed building.

Standing in 60 acres (242,811.6 m²) of grounds, the Georgian

Georgian architecture

Georgian architecture is the name given in most English-speaking countries to the set of architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840. It is eponymous for the first four British monarchs of the House of Hanover—George I of Great Britain, George II of Great Britain, George III of the United...

 style castellated house is three storeys with a seven bay frontage, the central bay flanked by full height round towers.

The house was built on the slopes of Wild Cat Tor, 400 feet (121.9 m) above sea level, for the occupation of industrialist Sir Richard Arkwright

Richard Arkwright

Sir Richard Arkwright , was an Englishman who, although the patents were eventually overturned, is often credited for inventing the spinning frame — later renamed the water frame following the transition to water power. He also patented a carding engine that could convert raw cotton into yarn...

 by architect William Thomas, following the purchase of the estate in 1782 from Thomas Hallet Hodges for £8,864.

At the time of purchase there was no large house here, just a few farms and "Derwent House", which still stands off the main drive. Arkwright planted many trees, though not before clearing away a large limestone rock, which cost £3,000.

In 1791, when the building was approaching completion, a fire broke out and severe damage was caused to part of the interior of the Castle. Although the damage was repaired, Arkwright died in 1792 before the building was completed. In 1796 his son, Richard Arkwright junior

Richard Arkwright Junior

Richard Arkwright junior , the son of the famous Sir Richard Arkwright of Cromford, Derbyshire, was the financier of Samuel Oldknow of Marple and Mellor and a personal friend. His son Captain Arkwright married Francis Kemble, daughter of the famous theatre manager Stephen Kemble.-Biography:Richard...

, moved in to Willersley Castle with his family, and the Arkwright family lived there until 1922.

The house was originally named "Willersley Hall".

The estate was bought in 1927 by a group of Methodist businessmen, and in 1928 it opened as a Methodist Guild holiday centre.

Between 1940 and 1946, i.e. during World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

, it served as a maternity hospital run by the Salvation Army

Salvation Army

The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....

, having moved out of East London.

Today it operates as a Christian Guild Hotel.

The name Willersley

The name Willersley comes from the ancient manor

Manorialism

Manorialism, an essential element of feudal society, was the organizing principle of rural economy that originated in the villa system of the Late Roman Empire, was widely practiced in medieval western and parts of central Europe, and was slowly replaced by the advent of a money-based market...

, or estate. The adjacent manors of Cromford and Willersley were partitioned in 1615.

The name Willersley also appears in -

• the nearby Willersley Tunnel, which is 764 yards (698.6 m) long and lies between Cromford railway station
  Cromford railway station
  Cromford railway station is a railway station owned by Network Rail and managed by East Midlands Trains Train operating company . It is located in the village of Cromford in Derbyshire, England...
  
   and Matlock railway station
  Matlock railway station
  Matlock Railway Station is a railway station owned by Network Rail and managed by East Midlands Trains. It is located in the Derbyshire town of Matlock in Derbyshire, England. The station is now currently the terminus of both the Derwent Valley Line from Derby and Peak Rail who operate heritage...
  
  .
• the nearby Willersley Crag, also called Willersley Castle rocks.