Alton Manor And Attached Stable Range To North East

Alton Manor and its attached stable range form a Victorian country house in the village of Alton, in the parish of Idridgehay and Alton, Derbyshire, not far from the town of Belper. The property is a Grade II listed building on the National Heritage List for England, and it suits anyone who enjoys Gothic Revival and Elizabethan-style architecture in the Amber Valley.

What is Alton Manor?

The house went up in 1846–47 to a design by Sir George Gilbert Scott, one of the best-known architects of the Victorian era. The listing describes it as a small country house. The protected entry covers two parts: the main house and the stable range joined to its north-east side. It was listed on 10 March 1986. The official text records only the construction date and the architect, so it adds nothing about the later story of the estate.

What will you see?

The architect gave the house an Elizabethan look, laid out as an irregular L with two storeys and attics. The walls are dressed gritstone on a shallow plinth, topped with coped gables and tall chimneys with octagonal shafts. The roof is concrete tile today, though it was first covered in stone slate.

On the south-east front, a porch sits in the angle of the building, with an arched doorway, a coat of arms and a pointed oriel window. An octagonal tower with a pierced parapet rises above it, and tall windows with stone mullions and transoms run along the facade. The south-west garden front has a projecting gable and a two-storey canted bay with a crenellated parapet and carved grotesque waterspouts.

The stables are two storeys high. Facing the yard, the gabled entrance bay has a moulded archway and a small ogee-shaped cupola covered in lead.

How do you get there?

The house stands on Wirksworth Road (the B5023), postcode DE56, in the Amber Valley district. The coordinates are roughly 53.056 N, 1.580 W. Belper is the nearest convenient base, and driving is the easiest way to reach Alton. Other listed structures belonging to the estate sit along the same road.

Can you visit?

The sources give no sign that Alton Manor opens to visitors, so plan on seeing it from the outside, from public roads. Respect the residents' privacy and stay off the grounds unless invited.

What else is nearby?

Several related heritage assets lie close by: a separately listed Grade II lodge with its gate piers and gates, and an icehouse in the grounds. The heritage list also names Alton Hall among nearby listed buildings. A short drive or walk through the surrounding Derbyshire villages ties them together.

Frequently asked questions

Who designed Alton Manor? Sir George Gilbert Scott, in 1846–47.

What is its listing grade? Grade II on the National Heritage List for England, listed 10 March 1986 (entry 1158752).

Where is it? In the village of Alton, parish of Idridgehay and Alton, near Belper in Derbyshire, on the B5023.

Can I go inside? The sources give no information on public access to the interior. View the building from public places outside.