Trentham Hall

Trentham Estate, located near the village of Trentham, is a visitor attraction in Stoke-on-Trent in Staffordshire, United Kingdom, the site is located on the southern fringe of the city of Stoke-on-Trent, within the Borough of Stafford.

The estate was first recorded in the Domesday Book in 1086. At the time it was a royal manor, with a value of 115 shillings. An Augustinian Priory originally occupied the site, followed by a convent.Trentham Priory occupied land on the Trentham estate from the 11th century until the Dissolution of the Monasteries.

The property was sold in 1540 to James Leveson, a Wolverhampton wool merchant. The Leveson family occupied the property and Sir Richard Leveson built a new house in 1634. The Leveson heiress Frances married Sir Thomas Gower Bt leading to the creation of the Leveson Gower family. It was a large Elizabethan house, which was probably demolished to make way for a later Georgian house. Their son Sir William Leveson Gower built a new house on the site in 1690.

Around 1730 a hall was erected based on Buckingham House. It was substantially altered by the first Marquess of Stafford, from designs by Henry Holland, in 1775–78.

The country house of which parts remain dates from 1833–42, and was designed by Charles Barry, while he was working on the rebuild of the Palace of Westminster. He was commissioned by George Granville Leveson Gower, Duke of Sutherland. The focal point of the building was a 100 feet (30 m) square campanile clock tower. The original approach to the hall was from the west, and an Italianate Grand Entrance was part of the western front. The one-story arcade range is semi-circular with side wings. It was made of plastered brick and ashlar, and had unfluted Ionic columns each side of its bays, as well as a balustrade above the cornice. The centre has a three-arched entrance with Porte-cochère projects, and a coat of arms is carved above. The right wing incorporates an orangery that was originally built in 1808 by Heathcote Tatham. Barry spent over 10 years improving the house, as well as adding a new block including state bedrooms and dressing rooms, as well as servant's quarters, a sculpture gallery, and a clock tower.

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