In 1225 the Lordship of Sutton-in-the-Dale had been given by King Henry III to Peter de Hareston, but by 1401 it had been purchased by John Leke of Gotham.

When the English Civil War broke out, Leke joined the Cavaliers and the Hall's structure was strengthened, particularly so with Bolsover Castle on the opposite hillside swearing loyalty to the Roundheads.

When a Parliamentarian force of 500 men led by Sir John Gell surrounded the estate, Leke resisted until the house was stormed and he was taken prisoner.

With the estate seized by Oliver Cromwell's forces, after the end of the war a forfeiture fine of £18,000 was levied and paid for Leke's support of the imprisoned King Charles.

In 1724, Nicholas Leke, 4th Earl of Scarsdale commissioned the building of a design by architect Francis Smith, to develop a Georgian mansion with gardens, using parts of the existing structure.

[2] On a scale and quality with Chatsworth House, internally it featured both oak ornamental panels and stucco plasterwork by Italian craftsmen Francesco Vassalli, Giovanni Bagutti and the brothers Giuseppe and Adalberto Artari;[3] carved Adamesque fireplaces in both marble and Blue John, and a carved mahogany staircase.

[4] Following the death of the 4th Earl, Member of Parliament Godfrey Clarke purchased the estate in 1740.

Some time after his son's death in 1774, Walter Butler, 1st Marquess of Ormonde gained ownership by marriage, and after his death in 1824, Richard Arkwright Junior of Cromford Mill fame, became the owner.

He was the son of Sir Richard Arkwright who invented the water frame and had a major involvement in the cotton industry.

When he was about 25 he bought the Manchester mill in Millers’ Lane and entered into partnership with the Simpson brothers.

[5] In 1780 he married Mary Simpson and over the next two decades the couple had eleven children, six boys and five girls.

When Richard's father died in 1792 he inherited a large part of his estate, and at this point he decided to dispose of most of his cotton mill interests and concentrate on property and banking.

In this sphere he amassed a very large fortune and when he died in 1843 he was said to be the richest commoner in England.

[6] After his death his son Robert Arkwright (1783–1859) inherited Sutton Scarsdale Hall.

However the family did not need to worry about Robert's choice of wife as Frances became a charming hostess and soon made friends in the aristocracy.

Her aunt was the famous actress Sarah Siddons and she often dined with Robert's parents when they were in London.

[7] When Robert died in 1859 Sutton Scarsdale Hall was inherited by his son, the Reverend Godfrey Harry Arkwright.

He was married twice, first to Frances Rafela Fitzherbert who died in 1856 and then to Marian Hilary Adelaide Pellew.

His eldest son was Francis Arkwright and it was he who inherited Sutton Scardale when his father Godfrey died in 1866.

In 1882 he migrated to New Zealand and about this time he left Sutton Scarsdale Hall in the care of his cousin William Arkwright.

His father was Major William Arkwright and his mother was Fanny Susan Thornewill.

[10] William was interested in breeding dogs and wrote a book titled The Pointer and His Predecessors.

0in ; Beautiful Ball Room with Carved Oak Ornamentation, and Gold and White Decoration, about 25ft.

; Iron Spiral Emergency Staircase to Ground Floor.On the Top Floor, Nine Bedrooms ; Box Room, Clock Room, and Back Staircase down to the Ground Floor.After many years of neglect, in November 1919 the estate was bought by a group of local businessmen who asset-stripped the house; this went as far as removing the roof in 1920.

After many years in storage in New York City, the panelling was bought by Pall Mall films for use as a set in their various 1950s productions.

[4][11] In 1946, the estate was bought by Sir Osbert Sitwell of Renishaw Hall, with the intention of preserving the remaining shell as a ruin.

The hall was designated as a Grade I listed building in 1951,[1] and is now in the care of English Heritage.