Mapperley Hall is a country house located at 51 Lucknow Avenue in the Mapperley Park conservation area of

Nottingham Nottingham ( , locally ) is a city and unitary authority area in Nottinghamshire, East Midlands, England. It is located north-west of London, south-east of Sheffield and north-east of Birmingham. Nottingham has links to the legend of Robi ...

, England. Built by Ichabod Wright in 1792, it was the home of the Wright family of bankers until the end of the nineteenth century. From about 1900 the building was used as part of the University College Nottingham, the Principal being Professor Amos Henderson, who died in 1922. It was later used for offices and became a Grade II listed building on 12 July 1972. The road to the north of the property is named Mapperley Hall Drive.

Background

The first occupants were Ichabod Wright II (1767–1862) and his wife Harriet Maria Day (d.1843). Ichabod Wright was a banker, like his father Thomas, in the family bank founded by his grandfather Ichabod Wright I (1700-1777), a former ironmonger and Baltic merchant, in the Long Row, Nottingham in 1761.Ichabod Charles Wright

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography The ''Dictionary of National Biography'' (''DNB'') is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history, published since 1885. The updated ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (''ODNB'') was published on 23 September ...

The couple had three sons and ten daughters. Their eldest son,

Ichabod Charles Wright Ichabod Charles Wright (11 April 1795 – 14 October 1871) was an English scholar, translator, poet and accountant. He is best known for his translation of important works of Italian literature, notably the works of Dante's ''Divine Comedy''. ...

(born 1795) was born at Mapperley and joined his father in the banking profession in 1825, but being famous for his Italian literary pursuits later; he translated

Dante Dante Alighieri (; – 14 September 1321), probably baptized Durante di Alighiero degli Alighieri and often referred to as Dante (, ), was an Italian people, Italian Italian poetry, poet, writer and philosopher. His ''Divine Comedy'', origin ...

's ''

Divine Comedy The ''Divine Comedy'' ( it, Divina Commedia ) is an Italian narrative poem by Dante Alighieri, begun 1308 and completed in around 1321, shortly before the author's death. It is widely considered the pre-eminent work in Italian literature ...

'' in three instalments later in the 1830s.

Description

The inscription on the rainwater head of the hall indicates the hall was built in 1792. According to records the hall was raised and altered in about 1845 and in 1889–90 additions were made by Robert Evans. The square plan building is built in three storeys and features stucco, with ashlar dressings and hipped slate roofs with various coped stacks. The windows mainly have glazing bar sashes and include a Venetian window and 4 reglazed French windows. At the rear, north end of the property, is a square service building with pyramidal roof, linked by a curved corridor. The paneled door to Mapperley Hall is flanked by plain sashes and is framed by a portico with pilasters. A double flight of stairs leads to the landing. The interior is furnished in 1920's decor with moulded plaster wall panels, Adam style frieze and dentillated cornice.

References

{{Reflist Country houses in Nottinghamshire Houses completed in 1792 Grade II listed buildings in Nottinghamshire