Okeover Hall is a privately owned

Grade II* listed In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern I ...

country house An English country house is a large house or mansion in the English countryside. Such houses were often owned by individuals who also owned a town house. This allowed them to spend time in the country and in the city—hence, for these peop ...

Images of England: architectural description of listed building Okeover Hall
/ref> in Okeover, Staffordshire, England. It is the family seat of the Okeover family, who have been in residence since the reign of

William Rufus William II ( xno, Williame; – 2 August 1100) was King of England from 26 September 1087 until his death in 1100, with powers over Normandy and influence in Scotland. He was less successful in extending control into Wales. The third so ...

. The house lies close to the border between Staffordshire and Derbyshire, which lies on the far side of the small River Dove. The Hall is not open to the public. The house and manor church (14th century, restored by Sir

George Gilbert Scott Sir George Gilbert Scott (13 July 1811 – 27 March 1878), known as Sir Gilbert Scott, was a prolific English Gothic Revival architect, chiefly associated with the design, building and renovation of churches and cathedrals, although he started ...

) were pillaged by the Jacobite forces as they marched south to Swarkstone Bridge in 1745. In 1745–47, Leak Okeover had the old hall enlarged to

Palladian Palladian architecture is a European architectural style derived from the work of the Venetian architect Andrea Palladio (1508–1580). What is today recognised as Palladian architecture evolved from his concepts of symmetry, perspective and ...

designs by a London carpenter and joiner, Joseph Sanderson, a cousin of

John Sanderson Lieutenant General John Murray Sanderson, (born 4 November 1940) is a retired senior Australian Army officer and vice-regal representative. He served as Force Commander of the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia from 1992 to 199 ...

, the architect. The house is a testament to the high level of education and competence that might be elicited from a well-trained Georgian craftsman. The Georgian east wing is the oldest part of the house dating from 1745 to 1746. A north wing was demolished in the early 19th century. The south and west wings were rebuilt 1953–60 to a sensitive Neo-Georgian design by

Marshall Sisson Marshall Arnott Sisson RA (14 February 1897 – 26 January 1978) was a British architect, active in 1928–70. Although his earliest buildings were modernist, after around 1935 he used only traditional styles and became known for his restoration wo ...

. Stables at right angles to the house form a separate nine-bay range with a central pediment on Doric pilasters over three rusticated arches and are separately listed as Grade II. Heritage Gateway; architectural description of listed building, Okeover Hall Stables
/ref> A feature of the house is the Grade II*

wrought iron Wrought iron is an iron alloy with a very low carbon content (less than 0.08%) in contrast to that of cast iron (2.1% to 4%). It is a semi-fused mass of iron with fibrous slag inclusions (up to 2% by weight), which give it a wood-like "grain" ...

inner gateway (1756) with armorial overthrow, by master smith Benjamin Yates, a pupil of Robert Bakewell, and the outer gates, also Grade II*, by Bakewell himself. In 1887, the Hon. Maud Okeover married Sir

Andrew Barclay Walker Sir Andrew Barclay Walker, 1st Baronet (15 December 1824 – 27 February 1893) was a brewer and Liverpool Councillor. Career Walker was born the son of Peter Walker at Auchinflower, Ayrshire, and was educated at Ayr Academy and at the Liver ...

, a successful brewer of Gateacre, Liverpool (see

Walker-Okeover baronets The Walker, later Walker-Okeover Baronetcy, of Gateacre Grange in the County of Lancaster and Osmaston Manor in the County of Derby, is a title in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 12 February 1886 for Andrew Barclay Walker ...

), who in 1884 had purchased Osmaston Manor in nearby Derbyshire. His son, Sir Peter Walker, the 2nd Baronet, married Ethel Okeover in 1899. Sir Ian Walker, the 3rd Baronet, inherited Okeover in 1956 and assumed the name of Walker-Okeover, demolished Osmaston Manor in 1964, and moved the family seat back to Okeover. The estate is currently owned by Sir Andrew Walker-Okeover, 5th Baronet. Several members of the family have served as

High Sheriff of Staffordshire This is a list of the sheriffs and high sheriffs of Staffordshire. The sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. The sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in the county but over the centuries most of the responsibilities ass ...

and of

Derbyshire Derbyshire ( ) is a ceremonial county in the East Midlands, England. It includes much of the Peak District National Park, the southern end of the Pennine range of hills and part of the National Forest. It borders Greater Manchester to the nor ...

References

*Howard Colvin, ''A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects 1660-1840'', 3rd ed. 1995, under "Joseph Anderson" * (2nd edition: published by South Brunswick and New York: A. S. Barnes & Company, 1967. )

External links

Craig Thornber, ''Strolling Through Staffordshire'': Okeover Hall
{{coord, 53.0301, -1.7659, type:landmark_region:GB-STS, display=title Country houses in Staffordshire Georgian architecture in England Grade II listed agricultural buildings Grade II* listed buildings in Staffordshire Grade II* listed gates Grade II* listed houses Houses completed in 1747 Palladian architecture

See also

References

External links