Listed Buildings
in Stoke-on-Trent and area
Etruria Hall
Area
Etruria |
Street
Festival Park |
Heritage No.
35a |
Grade
II |
Date Listed
19 April 1972 |
Building:
Etruria Hall (now part of the
Moat House Hotel) |
Location:
STOKE ON TRENT SJ84NE |
Description:
Mansion erected for Josiah Wedgwood in approx 1770 by Joseph
Pickford |
Etruria Hall was
constructed between 1768 and 1771 to a design produced by Joseph
Pickford on rising ground midway between the factory and the Ridge
House.
Another large
detached house called Bank House was built at the same time near
Etruria Road to accommodated Thomas Bentley. However he declined to
take up residence there, preferring to remain in Liverpool.
The Wedgwood
family moved to Bank House in November 1769 and into Etruria Hail
upon its completion in 1771. The original house was a typical
symmetrical Georgian house of three stories
Front
of Etruria Hall which looks towards Basford
The rear of
Wedgwood's home
photos: Steve Birks - 2001
Hall, originally built circa 1770 and designed by
Joseph Pickford of Derby, but extensively remodeled in early
19th Century.
Brick with stone dressings and slate roofs.
Central block of 3 storeys and 5 bays (1-3-1) with 2-storeyed
flanking pavilions. The central block has pedimented central
section, and central doorway is pedimented case. Windows have
stone architraves, with balustraded apron and deep moulded
cornice to central window on first floor. Windows in outer bays
have stone sills and flat arched heads. Double sill band
continuous across elevation. 2-bay flanking ranges lead to
advanced 3 bay, 2 storeyed pavilions with hipped roofs.
Rear elevation has recessed central section with
20th Century portico porch, blocked window to left, and 12-pane
sashes to the right. Doorways in pedimented architraves in
flanking sections, and sash windows. Upper storey apparently a
re-build, and the house has also been extensively underpinned.
The house was originally built for Josiah
Wedgwood.
(The Victoria History of the Counties of
England: RB.Pugh: Staffordshire: Oxford: 1963-)
The house was
clearly visible from the other side of the valley, a conscious
expression of the wealth and social standing of its owner. As
Wedgwood’s family increased in size preparations were made for
extending the house and in 1780 two wings, two stories in height,
joined by a single story corridor were added to the Hall. They
housed bedchambers for Wedgwood’s children, a school room and
billiard room, and a bedchamber for Alexander Chisholm, Wedgwood’s
assistant, as well as a drawing room 30 feet by 20 feet long.
The extended
Hall is shown on the
1877
Ordnance Survey map of Etruria Hall. Between 1781 and 1787 the
sculptor John Flaxman completed drawings for ceilings, ornamental
friezes and chimney pieces but it is not clear whether all of these
were implemented.
Josiah Wedgwood
and his family lived in a house fit for a country gentleman. Not
surprisingly he was addressed in his correspondence as “Esquire”
when that title still differentiated the gentry from the rest of the
population.
Josiah Wedgwood
died at Etruria Hall in 1795 a multi-millionaire by today’s
standards and was buried in Stoke churchyard.
more on
Etruria Hall
Wedgwood
Statue
next: Etruscan Bone
Mill, Etruria
previous: Round House, Etruria
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