History of the Duke of Sutherland
Trentham was the seat of the Duke of Sutherland but today only a few fragments of the last great house remain. The first house at Trentham was built on the site of an Augustinian Priory, which was founded about 1150. Following the Dissolution of the Monasteries the site was purchased by James Leveson in 1540. The earliest picture of a house there dates from 1686. It is known to have been damaged in the Civil War when the family were Royalists. The next development was in the early 18th century with a house of nine bays by Francis Smith.
The house and grounds were altered by Henry Holland and Capability Brown in the years from 1768-1778 with the house being extended from nine to fifteen bays. The house was changed again in 1810. The final major alteration was by Sir Charles Barry, the architect of the House of Commons. He worked on the hall between 1834 and 1849 and the cost was approximately £250,000. However, the family did not want the hall by the early 20th century and moved out in 1907. One reason was that the river Trent had become very polluted with sewage from the Potteries from the 1860s. In addition, like all the landowner families, the Sutherlands were not making as much money from agriculture and land was being sold. However the land no longer had the political importance for securing votes as the number of voters increased with successive reforms of parliament. Trentham was used by Disraeli in his book Lothair, where it appears at Brentham.
Trentham was offered first to Staffordshire County Council for conversion to a college and also to Stoke on Trent as a showroom for pottery. Eventually it was pulled down in 1911, with valuable fittings being sold in the demolition sale. Items included mirrors, marble, and wood, which all went for a low price. The belvedere went to Sandon Hall. In Disraeli's book Lothair, Trentham Hall appears as Brenton. It is believed that Queen Victoria's house, Osborne, on the Isle of White was modelled in part on Trentham. The ballroom in Trentham Gardens was built after the house was demolished when the site became a public park. It was taken over by the Bank of England in the Second World War. Now it is used for a variety of events including craft, antique and computer fairs. Over the years there have been a number of plans to develop Trentham Gardens for hotel, sports and leisure facilities. The 1000 acre site has great potential with its lake and surrounding woodlands but for the present it remains undeveloped. The park is open to the public and there are footpaths through the woods and around the lake. One can walk to the obelisk commemorating the 1st Duke of Sutherland - a monument set on a hill which is easily seen from the A34 south of Trentham. It was erected in 1836 and the bronze statue was by Chantrey.
Trentham was the seat of the Duke of Sutherland but today only a few fragments of the last great house remain. The first house at Trentham was built on the site of an Augustinian Priory, which was founded about 1150. Following the Dissolution of the Monasteries the site was purchased by James Leveson in 1540. The earliest picture of a house there dates from 1686. It is known to have been damaged in the Civil War when the family were Royalists. The next development was in the early 18th century with a house of nine bays by Francis Smith.
The house and grounds were altered by Henry Holland and Capability Brown in the years from 1768-1778 with the house being extended from nine to fifteen bays. The house was changed again in 1810. The final major alteration was by Sir Charles Barry, the architect of the House of Commons. He worked on the hall between 1834 and 1849 and the cost was approximately £250,000. However, the family did not want the hall by the early 20th century and moved out in 1907. One reason was that the river Trent had become very polluted with sewage from the Potteries from the 1860s. In addition, like all the landowner families, the Sutherlands were not making as much money from agriculture and land was being sold. However the land no longer had the political importance for securing votes as the number of voters increased with successive reforms of parliament. Trentham was used by Disraeli in his book Lothair, where it appears at Brentham.
Trentham was offered first to Staffordshire County Council for conversion to a college and also to Stoke on Trent as a showroom for pottery. Eventually it was pulled down in 1911, with valuable fittings being sold in the demolition sale. Items included mirrors, marble, and wood, which all went for a low price. The belvedere went to Sandon Hall. In Disraeli's book Lothair, Trentham Hall appears as Brenton. It is believed that Queen Victoria's house, Osborne, on the Isle of White was modelled in part on Trentham. The ballroom in Trentham Gardens was built after the house was demolished when the site became a public park. It was taken over by the Bank of England in the Second World War. Now it is used for a variety of events including craft, antique and computer fairs. Over the years there have been a number of plans to develop Trentham Gardens for hotel, sports and leisure facilities. The 1000 acre site has great potential with its lake and surrounding woodlands but for the present it remains undeveloped. The park is open to the public and there are footpaths through the woods and around the lake. One can walk to the obelisk commemorating the 1st Duke of Sutherland - a monument set on a hill which is easily seen from the A34 south of Trentham. It was erected in 1836 and the bronze statue was by Chantrey.