Gazetteer of
British Place Names

Kirby Hall is an Elizabethan prodigy house near Gretton, Northamptonshire. It is considered one of the great Elizabethan houses of England, and was built in 1570 for Sir Humphrey Stafford. In 1575, Sir Christopher Hatton, Lord Chancellor to Queen Elizabeth I, purchased it. Construction on the building was based on the designs in French architectural pattern books and expanded in the Classical style over the course of the following decades. James I stayed nine times at Kirby Hall between 1608–1624. During the 1780s, George Finch-Hatton had begun renovating the hall's interior drastically into 18th century style while preserving the exterior intact. The Hall began its slow decline when George and Lady Elizabeth's newly built palatial mansion Eastwell Park was finished and the family moved there entirely. By the late 1880s, the hall had been completely abandoned and was in ruins. The house is now in a semi-ruined state with many parts roof-less although the Great Hall and state rooms remain intact. The gardens, complete with statues and urns, have been recently restored. Kirby Hall has been used as a filming location in many productions. It is within the council area of North Northamptonshire.
Historic England Grade I Listed 1372559.

Place Type: Tudor House
Historic County: Northamptonshire
Lat, Long: 52.524617,-0.63687403
Grid Reference: SP 9257 9273
Civil Parish: Gretton CP
Council Area: North Northamptonshire CA
Police Area: Northamptonshire PA

GBPN ID: 302762
Entry Type: Main listing (P)
URL: https://gazetteer.org.uk/place/Kirby_Hall,_Northamptonshire_302762

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