History

Bagshaw Hall, also known as The Hall, was built for Thomas Bagshawe in 1684, as stated on the date over the front door. Thomas Bagshawe

(1638-1721) was the younger son of Thomas Bagshawe of The Ridge, Chapel-en-le-Frith, who died in 1649. His older brother Henry, was a barrister and Thomas became a solicitor who “prospered as a lawyer in Bakewell and built himslef a smart new house”. Thomas married Mary Allestree and they had nine sons and a daughter. Unfortunately all his sons predeceased Thomas, so his estate was inherited by his daughter Rachel, who had been baptised in Bakewell Church on 18th August 1685.

Rachel married William Fitzherbert of Tissington, so on Thomas Bagshawe’s death in 1721, ownership of The Hall passed to him. Sometime before 1740, The Hall was purchased from the Fitzherberts by Thomas Barker (1701-1754).The barkers were very involved in the Derbyshire lead mining industry. On Thomas’s death in 1754, he was succeeded at The Hall and in business by his son John Barker (1732- 1795). Before moving to The Hall, John then built Ashford Hall, moving there from The Hall in 1777. Thomas lived at The Hall until he inherited Ashford Hall on his father’s death in 1795. As a matter of interest, his son John Henry Barker bought Brooklands (later called East Lodge) on Coombs Road, Bakewell in 1831. John certainly lived in The Hall at some stage. He had eight children, and two of his daughters, Elizabeth and Emma Jane, died at The Hall, in 1869 and 1871 respectively. Their brother Edward

(1799-1832) lived in Sheffield, and Edward’s son John edward (1832-1912) a barrister and QC, moved from Middlesex to Bakewell in 1865, and became inviolved in local organisations and councils. He lived in The Hall with his aunts. He became Recorder of Leeds, and inherited Brooklands in 1889. In 1893 Bagshaw Hall was purchased by Herbert Brooke Taylor.

Herbert became a very prominent citizen of Bakewell, being very involved in such matters as the building of the Town Hall and the Cottage Hospital, and the reorganisation of Lady Manners School. He and his wife Mary had seven children, three of whom were born at The Hall. They lived there until Herbert bought Overdale, on Church Lane in Bakewell, from his brother Frank in 1913, and renamed it The Close. In 1932 Bagshaw Hall was sold to Henry Boot plc and used as office space. Around the Mid-20th century, The building was converted into a museum, and shortly after converted into a Conservative Club. In 1985 Bagshaw Hall was purchased by its current owner, David Frank Oulsnam. The Hall was used throughout the 90’s as the Oulsnam family home, with wife Georgina and their three children. In 2008 The Hall was given a new lease of life in its current form, as holiday accommodation, giving its guests and visitors the special opportunity to stay within some of England’s finest Heritage.