In 1815 a rebuild of Elvaston Castle heralded the creation of a new entrance hall on the south side of Elvaston Castle.
This entrance subsequently underwent a major revamp by Lewis Cottingham in 1836, when it was redesigned in a gothic and 'chivalrous' style for the Fourth Earl of Harrington as a tribute to his great love Maria Foote; the Countess of Harrington. The earl renamed the entrance 'Hall of Fair Star' in his wife's honour and today the mottoes 'Faithful to Honour and Love'; 'Gallantry, Courtesy and Love'; 'Fayre beyond the Fayrest' still remain. To this day the hall stands as a symbol of the chivalrous pursuit of love.
Since then, what is known today as Elvaston's Gothic Hall has featured in the film 'Women in Love' (1969) directed by Ken Russell and based on D.H. Lawrence's novel. In it, Elvaston Castle was referred to as 'Shortlands' and the splendid Gothic Hall provided the perfect stage for the nude wrestling scene between Oliver Reed (Gerald Crich) and Alan Bates (Rupert Birkin), which took place in front of a blazing log fire. The grounds were also featured in the film and anyone who has seen the picture may well remember the garden party and carousels on East Avenue, together with boats with ornate Chinese lanterns on the lake.
Gothic Hall for hire
We're delighted to be able to offer this unique and historic hall for hire. The distinctive Gothic Hall can be used for a range of events and activities, accommodating a maximum of 50 seated or 60 standing.
The hall opens onto a Parterre garden and topiary and it's a short walk from here to Elvaston's historic Golden Gates, passing underneath the Crown bush.
It's available to hire from 9:30am to 4:30pm on weekdays and weekends, and could be an ideal venue for meetings, exhibitions, workshops or photo shoots.
For more information contact Jennifer Brewer, email: eccp@derbyshire.gov.uk or telephone: 01629 533870.