Barlaston Hall for Sale: A Restored Palladian Country House
Barlaston Hall, a magnificent Grade I-listed Palladian country house, has been listed for sale. It offers a rare opportunity to own a piece of English heritage that was once owned by the Wedgwood pottery company.
Nestled in the picturesque village of Barlaston, Staffordshire, the manor house commands breathtaking views from its ridge overlooking the tranquil valley of the River Trent.
Originally commissioned between 1756 and 1758, Barlaston Hall was likely designed by the esteemed architect Sir Robert Taylor for Thomas Mills, an attorney from Leek. The hall replaced an earlier manor house on the estate, which Mills had acquired through marriage. The building is notable for its striking red-brick exterior, a hallmark of Taylor’s architectural style, and its distinctive sash windows featuring octagonal and diamond glazing.
The entrance to Barlaston Hall is as grand as its history. A set of steps leads to a central doorway adorned with pilasters and a segmental pediment, which opens into a central Doric hall. This hall provides access to two of the main reception rooms and an inner hall crowned by a domed skylight.
The expansive gardens and grounds, which cover approximately 4.5 acres, were designed by William Sawrey Gilpin, a noted landscape gardener. These grounds, now lush and mature, provide a serene backdrop to the hall and are near the deconsecrated parish church of St John the Baptist.
In 1816, Barlaston Hall was owned by the Adderley family when Rosamund Mills, co-heiress of the Barlaston estate, married Ralph Adderley of Coton Hall. Their son, Ralph Thomas Adderley, later served as High Sheriff of Staffordshire in 1866.
Following his death in 1931, the 380-acre estate was bought by the Wedgwood pottery company in 1937, aiming to relocate from its industrial site in Etruria. The hall narrowly escaped demolition in the early 1980s due to disrepair and subsidence caused by coal mining activities. In a remarkable turn of events, it was sold for £1 to a trust established by Save Britain’s Heritage, which undertook extensive restoration efforts.
In 1992, before internal restoration began, Save Britain’s Heritage sold the hall to James and Carol Hall. Over more than five years, they meticulously restored the interior, reviving its historic grandeur with new walls, ceilings, plasterwork, and staircases, employing craftsmen skilled from previous restoration projects like Uppark in West Sussex, where writer H.G. Wells once lived.
Today, Barlaston Hall stands as a testament to resilience and architectural beauty, brimming with original features such as ornate plasterwork and soaring windows that frame views of the landscaped gardens. This exquisite residence offers a slice of history and embodies the elegance and craftsmanship of a bygone era, making it a truly exceptional property on the market.
The house is listed with Jackson Stops
