1. The History
Built in 1891, Littleover Old Hall is an Arts & Craft house located in suburbs of Derby. Designed by Alexander MacPherson at the instructions of businessman Edward MacInnes, it replaced the original hall that dated back to the 16th century. It incorporated spacious interiors, a galleried hallway and stairs, light oak panelling and Neo-Jacobean ribbed ceilings. It was sold in 1934 to Harold Walker, a wallpaper manufacturer from London, along with nearly ten acres of land. During World War Two the outbuildings were converted into a decontamination centre in anticipation of gas attacks and then 20 years later, sold again in 1954 to Rolls-Royce as offices for their nuclear program.
Royce then in turn sold it to Derbyshire County Council and it taken over by Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service in 1973 as their new headquarters, for which it served as for 45 years. After the fire services moved out in 2018 to be along-side Derbyshire Police at Butterley Hall, in nearby Ripley, Salloway Property Consultants and Bishop Property Consultants started marketing the Old Hall and its 4.7-acre site along with several modern buildings (including 1980s office blocks and a 1950s training & development centre), the gatehouse and its attractive, landscaped grounds. After briefly taking it off the market, it was then put it back on the market.
The site was appeared to have been sold in 2020 to Ivygrove Developments, who put in a planning application to build 14 detached houses on the land where the current offices and training centres stand. However, the deal fell through and as of November 2021, the whole site was again on the market with Salloway and listed as “under offers”. The expected asking price is around the £3m mark. Salloway are quoted as saying “interested [parties] would almost certainly have to retain the beautiful Old Hall and lodge which are noted in Derby's historic buildings list but are not formally listed”.
2. The Explore
Explored with my non-forum exploring mate. Never got round to posting this at the time. Maybe because we didn’t get round the whole site and was hoping to get back there to finish the job off. In the end only explored half the site. The front was accessible but guarded by newly installed CCTV gear, so we found an alternative way in. Looked round the Training and Development block first. This was new and despite having a fair bit of stuff left in there, was a bit characterless. It also had all the lights switched on and was also quite trashed in places. We then moved on to the old hall. Once in, we looked round the ground floor then set of a motion sensor. At that point we slung our hook. If we’d have known no one was going to come out to the site we’d have finished the hall off. With hindsight we should have also looked round the offices before going in the hall. So my report is in no way as comprehensive as @mookster and his report HERE or @MotionlessMike and his report HERE. However, I still just about got enough pictures to merit a report. Would love to go back so will have to try and find the time.
3. The Pictures
The lovely gatehouse that initially greets you:
The T&D block first:
Lots of records left behind:
And small individual office space:
Up the stairs we go:
To be greeted by bland and empty office space:
Back downstairs and a quick peek in the gym:
On to the old hall:
Clean if a little characterless:
And lacking original features:
Reception desk in the main hall:
And the stairway to the 1st floor:
This room was less posh!
On the way out spotted this lovely crest:
Someone’s half-inched the sundial!
This seating area addition from 1903 was nice:
Finally looking over at the other side of the site we didn’t get round:
And back out again…
Built in 1891, Littleover Old Hall is an Arts & Craft house located in suburbs of Derby. Designed by Alexander MacPherson at the instructions of businessman Edward MacInnes, it replaced the original hall that dated back to the 16th century. It incorporated spacious interiors, a galleried hallway and stairs, light oak panelling and Neo-Jacobean ribbed ceilings. It was sold in 1934 to Harold Walker, a wallpaper manufacturer from London, along with nearly ten acres of land. During World War Two the outbuildings were converted into a decontamination centre in anticipation of gas attacks and then 20 years later, sold again in 1954 to Rolls-Royce as offices for their nuclear program.
Royce then in turn sold it to Derbyshire County Council and it taken over by Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service in 1973 as their new headquarters, for which it served as for 45 years. After the fire services moved out in 2018 to be along-side Derbyshire Police at Butterley Hall, in nearby Ripley, Salloway Property Consultants and Bishop Property Consultants started marketing the Old Hall and its 4.7-acre site along with several modern buildings (including 1980s office blocks and a 1950s training & development centre), the gatehouse and its attractive, landscaped grounds. After briefly taking it off the market, it was then put it back on the market.
The site was appeared to have been sold in 2020 to Ivygrove Developments, who put in a planning application to build 14 detached houses on the land where the current offices and training centres stand. However, the deal fell through and as of November 2021, the whole site was again on the market with Salloway and listed as “under offers”. The expected asking price is around the £3m mark. Salloway are quoted as saying “interested [parties] would almost certainly have to retain the beautiful Old Hall and lodge which are noted in Derby's historic buildings list but are not formally listed”.
2. The Explore
Explored with my non-forum exploring mate. Never got round to posting this at the time. Maybe because we didn’t get round the whole site and was hoping to get back there to finish the job off. In the end only explored half the site. The front was accessible but guarded by newly installed CCTV gear, so we found an alternative way in. Looked round the Training and Development block first. This was new and despite having a fair bit of stuff left in there, was a bit characterless. It also had all the lights switched on and was also quite trashed in places. We then moved on to the old hall. Once in, we looked round the ground floor then set of a motion sensor. At that point we slung our hook. If we’d have known no one was going to come out to the site we’d have finished the hall off. With hindsight we should have also looked round the offices before going in the hall. So my report is in no way as comprehensive as @mookster and his report HERE or @MotionlessMike and his report HERE. However, I still just about got enough pictures to merit a report. Would love to go back so will have to try and find the time.
3. The Pictures
The lovely gatehouse that initially greets you:
The T&D block first:
Lots of records left behind:
And small individual office space:
Up the stairs we go:
To be greeted by bland and empty office space:
Back downstairs and a quick peek in the gym:
On to the old hall:
Clean if a little characterless:
And lacking original features:
Reception desk in the main hall:
And the stairway to the 1st floor:
This room was less posh!
On the way out spotted this lovely crest:
Someone’s half-inched the sundial!
This seating area addition from 1903 was nice:
Finally looking over at the other side of the site we didn’t get round:
And back out again…
Last edited:
