Wingfield Manor, Derbyshire

Wingfield Manor was built around 1450 for Ralph de Cromwell, 3rd Baron Cromwell, then Chancellor of England. The design was the inspiration for Hampton Court Palace in London.

The sixth Earl of Shrewsbury who was entrusted with the care of Mary, Queen of Scots, when she was detained imprisoned her here in 1569, 1584 and 1585.

At the time of the English Civil War (1642–48), the manor was in the hands of the Earl of Shrewsbury, a Parliament supporter. The Manor was taken by the Royalists in 1643 and then, after a siege, retaken by Parliament in 1644. It was located in what was then a strategic position near a main north-south artery of the country. It was partially demolished at the end of the Civil War, and then renovated some years later for Immanuel Halton, an astronomer. It was later further damaged when stone was taken for building Wingfield Hall, in the valley below.

The remains include a usable tower, part of a greater tower that included, before the English Civil War, one of the earliest flushing systems in England. A cistern of water, positioned at the top of the tower, was emptied through the toilet area into the moat. The remains of the great hall, once one of the largest in the country, contains an oriel window, where coloured glass would once shine through and illuminate the high table. The remains of two bread ovens can be seen in the kitchen, along with two large fireplaces. Damage caused by cannonballs can still be seen along the curtain walls and on the towers.

Opening Times

Entry by pre-booked guided tours only, on the first Saturday of the month from 1st April – 30th September. To book please call 0870 333 1181

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Ticket Prices

Adults: £5.30
Children: £3.20
Concessions: £4.80

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Disabled Facilities

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