Kelham, Newark
Nottinghamshire
England
Start Date: 1859
Completion Date: 1861, incorporating 1844-46 service range
Status: Fully Extant
House Open to Public: By Appointment
Country House: Yes
The third House from "Morris's Views of Seats," circa 1875.
The second House from an 1829 engraving
Earlier Houses: The current house is the third on the site. The first was burned in the early 18th century and replaced by a circa 1730 house, which itself burned down in 1857 and was replaced by the current house.
Built / Designed For: John Manners-Sutton
House & Family History: Kelham is strikingly reminiscent of St. Pancras Station in London, which isn't surprising, since both buildings were designed by the same man – George Gilbert Scott, one of the greatest Victorian architects. Scott's client at Kelham, John Manners-Sutton, clearly had delusions of grandeur, as the house originally planned by Scott would have been more ducal in scale and richness than the one that was actually built: the grand staircase, the Conservatory, and the many marble columns were never realized. It was apparent that Manners-Sutton had financially over-reached himself with his plans for Kelham when the mortgage holder foreclosed on the Estate in 1898. Between 1903 and 1974 the House was used as Kelham Theological College, a missionary training college operated by the Society of the Sacred Mission. The only interruption in its 71-year religious/educational use was when the House and grounds were requisitioned by the army during the World Wars.
Chapel & Church: The Society of the Sacred Mission built a Byzantine style Chapel between 1927 and 1928.
Architect: George Gilbert Scott
Date: 1859-61Architect: Anthony Salvin
Date: 1844-46Architect: Charles Clayton Thompson
Date: 1924-25John Preston (J.P.) Neale, published under the title of Views of the Seats of Noblemen and Gentlemen in England, Wales, Scotland, and Ireland, among other titles: Vol. III, 1820.
Country Life: CXLI, 1230 plan, 1302, 1967.
House Listed: Grade I
Park Listed: Not Listed
Past Seat / Home of: John Manners-Sutton, 19th century; Manners-Sutton family here from the 12th century until 1898.
Current Ownership Type: Government
Primary Current Ownership Use: Hotel
Ownership Details: Part of the House is used as the Kelham Hall & Country Park hotel. Since 1973 Newark and Sherwood District Council have had their headquarters at Kelham.
House Open to Public: By Appointment
Phone: 01636-980-000
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.kelham-hall.com
Historic Houses Member: Yes