Save Wingfield Manor

Amber Valley MP, Linsey Farnsworth and Derbyshire Historic Buildings Trust Launch Petition to Save Wingfield Manor

 

South Wingfield, Derbyshire – Amber Valley MP, Linsey Farnsworth, and heritage campaigners, the Derbyshire Historic Buildings Trust (DHBT), are asking members of the public to sign a petition urging the Government to take action to secure the future of Wingfield Manor.

 

The magnificent ruins of this Grade 1 listed manor sit on a hill, overlooking beautiful Amber Valley countryside.

 

As hidden gems go, you’d be hard pressed to find one as impressive or as historically significant as Wingfield Manor. Built in the 15th Century, it is a striking example of late medieval architecture, said to have inspired Hampton Court Palace, and it boasts a rich, storied history.

 

The Manor’s most famous resident was undoubtedly Mary, Queen of Scots. She was imprisoned here on two separate occasions, and it is believed that Wingfield Manor played host to the infamous Babington Plot.

 

Over the years it has also been a battleground, during the English Civil War; a strategic munitions store, during World War II; and, it was even home to one of the country’s first flushing toilets.

 

Despite its significance, the Manor is currently closed to the public due to safety concerns. While the ruins are in private ownership, they are considered a scheduled monument, on which the government of 1960 placed a guardianship order. English Heritage has been responsible for the site’s upkeep, but the costs involved in making it accessible to the public have proved prohibitive. It is now listed on Historic England’s Heritage at Risk Register due to its deteriorating condition.

 

The Manor has been passed down through generations and its current owner has now decided it is time to move on and sell this historic monument.

 

Both Linsey Farnsworth, MP, and the Trustees of the Derbyshire Historic Buildings Trust (DHBT) see this as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. They are calling on members of the public to add their names to a petition, asking the government to recognise the importance of Wingfield Hall and to take steps to ensure it is made once more accessible to the public, and available for everyone to enjoy.

 

The petition will be available to sign in a number of venues until June 30th, after which it will be presented in parliament by Ms Farnsworth.