Willersley Castle
house in Derbyshire, England, UK
Willersley Castle is a late 18th-century country mansion above the River Derwent at Cromford, Derbyshire, outside Peak District National Park. The castle has been a Grade II* listed building since April 2000.
Standing in 60 acres (240,000 m2) of grounds, the Classical-style castellated house is three storeys with a seven-bay frontage, the central bay flanked by full-height round towers. In recent years, the property operated as a hotel but was permanently closed and listed for sale in summer 2020.
History
Originally named "Willersley Hall", it was built on the slopes of Wild Cat Tor, 400 feet (120 m) above sea level, for the occupation of the industrialist Sir Richard Arkwright by the architect William Thomas. A news item in 2016 stated that "with its turrets and crenellations, it was intended to resemble a castle". Arkwright had purchased the estate in 1782 from Thomas Hallet Hodges for £8,864. The land was previously known as Willersley Estate and had been purchased by Edwin Lascelles in 1759.
At the time of the Arkwright purchase there was no large house here, just a few farms and "Derwent House", which still stands off the main drive. Those farm buildings, later converted to residences, were sold by the estate some time before 2016.
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