Kelmarsh Hall Set For Major Renovation Works

Set on the Northamptonshire/Leicestershire border, five miles south of Market Harborough, Kelmarsh Hall is a delightful eighteenth century house, now in the care of the Kelmarsh Trust, which has been set up to protect the property for the benefit of the nation.

The Hall was constructed originally in 1732 for William Hanbury, who was a well known antiquarian. Even to this day it is surrounded by gardens and parkland and its working estate. There are about three thousand acres, with the gardens themselves being described as having a “haphazard luxuriance”.

What brings Kelmarsh Hall to our attention at the moment, however, is the fact that for the first time since 1820, the Hall is getting a new roof. Holding repairs carried out in 1970 have served their purpose, and the Westmoreland green slates in place are about to be replaced like for like.

These remedial works follow hard on the heels of another innovation, the installation of a renewable energy system, which seeks to reduce the annual oil bill by about 50%. E-On are seeking to set up a wind farm on the estate and support the energy system.

The Hall will be closed until Easter, which shows the balancing act that has to be carried out by attractions that rely on visitor income. The best time of year to carry out the roof repairs would be the summer, but this would dramatically impact on the cash flow.

Some events are still taking place in the Lime Shed, and details can be found on the Kelmarsh Hall website.

http://www.kelmarsh.com