An Investigation of Mosborough Hall

 

The south elevation of Mosborough Hall Hotel

After having a quick look at the former board school and war memorial in Halfway and then collecting a sample of Parkgate Rock, I made my way through a housing estate until I reached Hollow Lane, at the end of which is the Grade II Listed Mosborough Hall Hotel.

 

The Service Building at Mosborough Hall

Before I arrived at the hall, I encountered the separately Grade II Listed Service Building, which dates to the early C17 and is probably built in local sandstone from the Parkgate Rock, which underlies most of quite a large area around Mosborough. 

 

Rotherham Red sandstone in the Service Building

I was very interested to see that the dressings to a blocked opening is made with Rotherham Red sandstone from the Mexborough Rock, which is probably from the quarries at Harthill 4 miles to the east. As I had discovered at St. Giles’ church in Killamarsh, which is midway between Mosborough and Harthill, the quality of the Rotherham Red sandstone was considered good enough to be specifically used for dressings. 

 

Approaching the rear of Mosborough Hall Hotel

 

Coming to the rear of Mosborough Hall, built in the mid C17, the well coursed and squared walling looks very similar in colour and texture and part of its north rear elevation has been rendered, with a high level ornamental squared framed window being also made of Rotherham Red sandstone. 

 

Window dressings in Rotherham Red sandstone

On my walks where I set out to photograph buildings for the British Listed Buildings website, very many are private residential properties and often obscured by shrubs and trees in the garden, so I just take a few quick snaps of the exterior of what from whatever vantage point I can find and rarely get the opportunity to closely inspect the stonework. 

 

The west elevation of Mosborough Hall Hotel

I had passed by the hotel a few times on the bus, on the way to survey the mediaeval churches in Eckington, Barlborough and Bolsover and had caught glimpses of its balustraded parapet and, having taken a general photo of the west end, I went to the reception to inform them of my project and was invited to have a good look around the grounds and parts of the interior. 

 

The south elevation of Mosborough Hall Hotel

 

Looking at the converted stable block, I discovered yet another example of the use of Rotherham Red sandstone for a door surround, but the new extension to the hotel and another large painted and rendered building were not of interest and I went to look at the inside of the Service Room. 

 

A door surround in Rotherham Red sandstone

 

Firstly, one of the staff let me out into the small passage between its south wall and the modern glass cafe/bar that is set next to it. Here, I could get a good view of the sandstone in the walling, which contains a high concentration of iron minerals, as banding and Liesegang rings and also as dense accumulations along joint planes and ironstone. 

 

The south wall of the Service Building

 

The west wall of the Service Building has fine examples of Jacobean windows, with stone mullions and transoms and the door surround has a particularly large lintel. These would have been obtained from the more massive and better quality beds in the quarry, with the basic walling stone being from the silty, iron rich beds. 

 

The west wall of the Service Building

Quickly looking at the interior where the Historic England listing states there is a large moulded segmental arched fireplace with keystone, flanked by single segment-headed doorways, but the fireplace appears to have been altered. 

 

The east end of the Service Building

 

Returning to the exterior and the sun having come out, I had another brief look at the converted stable block, which again has very iron rich sandstone used for the walling, but I didn’t go and investigate it further. 

 

The converted stable block

 

Looking at further Rotherham Red sandstone used for a window surround, quoins and the plinth, the areas affected by being in contract with salts from the groundwater have deteriorated considerably in places, with sand and cement being used for poor quality repairs. 

 

Rotherham Red sandstone dressings

I also noticed another high level ornamental square window, with Rotherham Red sandstone dressings that are still in reasonable condition. With my brief investigation of the stonework at Mosborough Hall now complete, I then set off to find the remaining 11 historic buildings in Mosborough that needed a photo for the British Listed Buildings website.

 

An ornamental window made with Rotherham Red sandstone