Rare glimpse inside derelict 300-year-old building that's up for sale

The building could be brought back into use

Incredible pictures have been released showing the inside of a derelict listed house.

Ollerton Hall, a 300-year-old country house, has been empty for more than 50 years.

It was originally owned by the Markham family - who had connections to Queen Elizabeth I - in the latter part of the 16th century.

The family mansion was wholly or partly rebuilt early in the 18th-century according to NottinghamshireLive and even contains a secret chapel.

The chapel would have been a place of worship for the Catholic Markham family who lived in Protestant England.

Ollerton Hall was also owned by the National Coal Board in the 20th-century to house workers from nearby pits and their families.

Features from this time can still be seen inside, including where old ranges were situated to cook meals.

More recent brickwork inside reveals how the building is made up from works from different periods.

The building could now be set for a new lease of life after bids have been made to bring it back into use.

The council-owned building in Main Street, Ollerton, has needed repair works totalling about £100,000 over the last three years, including fixing a leaking roof.

The incomplete changes made by owners who had to return the property to the council has made it appear “stuck in different eras.”

With new owners previously lined up to take over the Grade II* listed building, newer features have been added inside, such as brick walls and a lift shaft, alongside older features including the secret chapel.

Previous developments at the building fell through due to failures to comply with various council permissions.

Oliver Scott, senior conservation officer at Newark and Sherwood District Council, said: “The local authority have ensured the building is preserved for future generations. It’s not in great keep and the local people are aware that it has been disused.

“Having the building in use is the best way to keep it in good condition.

“The council has owned the building three times now and its history has been challenging. We tried to work with private owners but its not worked out.”

The Sue Ryder Foundation - a care and bereavement support charity - was set to build a care home in the building in 1990. But this fell through by 2003 when the council deemed it fell short of assurances made during the sale.

Newark and Sherwood District Council bought the building back for £1 under the terms of the original sale.

Pullan Homes then planned to turn it into luxury apartments in 2008 but were stopped following several visits from planning enforcement officers and the issuing of temporary stop notices that were ignored.

Ollerton Hall last fell back into the council’s ownership in 2016. A new investor would need to spend around £1m to bring the building into modern use.

Mr Scott said: “We have found what we think was a hidden Catholic chapel in the attic when it was owned by the Markham family.

“You can see where a straw-based plaster has been used, revealing old techniques used to insulate buildings.

“It needed a lift shaft to be a care home but now the interior is incomplete as neither a picture of the past or as a modernised building.

“We want an end use that’s best for the community, probably a residential use to keep with it's original make-up.

“We invited bidders to put together a detailed package with what they want to do with it and the cost. They would need to accept a leasehold arrangement until they carried out their works on it.”

The council have shortlisted three bids for the property and expect to make an announcement early next year.

It has formed a cross-party member panel, including the leader of the council, who have questioned the potential investors on their plans.

Council leader, David Lloyd, said: “Ollerton Hall is an important historic building and a significant architectural landmark which needs to be brought back to life.

"The council is determined to ensure that the property is restored and back in use within a practical timescale so that it can be preserved for future generations.”

The future of Ollerton Hall was discussed at the policy and finance committee meeting on November 28. The meeting hopes to address how it will be marketed and who the final decision rests with.