Bylaugh Park

The grand estate at Bylaugh was acquired for the Lombe (later Evans-Lombe) family by Sir John Lombe in 1796. Although the details remain a little unclear, it is rumoured that he won it from Richard Lloyd in card game, some say as the result of Lloyd's butler drugging his wine. Sir John died in 1817, and with no children to inherit the estate it passed to his brother Edward. Sir John's bequest included a large sum of money deposited in trust to be used for the building of a mansion on the estate.

After some years of little activity, the Court of Chancery instructed that the trust money should be used, and eventually architects Charles Barry Jnr and Richardson Banks were commissioned to design a suitable house. William Andrews Nesfield advised on the position of the house, and was responsible for laying out the grounds and gardens.

The house was completed in about 1851. It was amongst the first buildings ever to employ steel girders in the supporting structure. The exterior stonework, including the balustrades and the terrace walling are of magnesian limestone.

By 1950, the house was in disrepair. It was stripped of its lead and interior fittings, and abandoned. The main hall is presently a ruin, but many of the surrounding buildings including the orangery (winter gardens) and servants quarters have been restored by the present owners and are let as holiday accommodation.