The sad story of this stately home near Northampton that now lies empty and in ruin

A Grade II listed manor once thought to be ahead of its time, looks like it will be firmly set in the past as a ruined hall. Overstone Hall, near Northampton, was built in the early 1860s but after years of neglect and two fires, its history now tells a sad tale.

Today, Overstone Hall stands as a burnt ruin - a large proportion of which is damage stemming from a fire earlier this year in March - and it also currently has no roof to protect it from the elements. It's fair to say the building with 119 rooms has seen better days.

It is also considered a feat of engineering as it is thought to be one of the first buildings in Britain, if not the world, to have 'cavity wall insulation, butler's lifts, central heating, and electric lights.'

And now, campaigners in the local area are fighting hard to save the building following an application to demolish it. In light of this, NationalWorld takes a look back at the history of Overstone Hall.

When was Overstone Hall built and lived there?

The imposing manor house was built for Lord and Lady Overstone in the early 1860s. but it is said that the Lord - Samuel Jones-Loyd, 1st Baron Overstone - hated the residence and refused to live there. His wife also died before it was fully built.

It has been revealed in a letter to a friend, that Lord Overstone said his new home was the cause of much 'disappointment and vexation' while also describing it as an 'utter failure'.

The home was designed by William Milford Teulon in a French Renaissance style consistent throughout its 119 rooms.

After Lord Overstone died in 1883, it fell into the possession of his daughter Lady Wantafe who used it as a place to stay with her husband during the hunting season.

What happened to the stately home?

After the Overstones, the home was leased to many people including an Australian shipping magnate named Malcolm McEacharn who used it to entertain guests.

In the 1920s, the home then became a girl's boarding school which stayed open until 1979. Once the school closed, the search began for a new owner who would be willing to take on significant renovation costs.

The hall was eventually bought by a Pentecostal church called the New Testament Church of God in 1979, becoming their national headquarters.

Fast forward to April 16, 2001, and the building was gutted in a devastating fire. It is said that this blaze destroyed around 60 percent of the building - especially its main rooms and ornate carved staircase.

In 2011, the New Testament Church of God put the remains of the building up for sale at £1.5 million. But it wasn't until 2015 that the manor was brought by Barry Howard Homes who remain the owners of Overstone Hall.

In 2019, it was revealed that Barry Howard Homes had applied for permission to turn the manor into apartments and to restore it. This would be funded through an 'enabling development' of 52 houses on the parkland surrounding the hall.

While Daventry District Council approved the restoration plans, the enabling development plans were rejected.

On March 17, 2023, the building was further destroyed as another unforgiving fire swept through its remains.

What is the future of the building?

Barry Howard Homes has said any restoration works on the hall would cost at least £21m - making this "a fantasy." The building was described as being 'derelict and perilous' in an application from April 2023 to demolish Overstone Hall.

But many locals want to see it stabilised and be used by the community. There is no date set as of yet for West Northamptonshire Council to make a decision here, but either way it seems big changes are on the horizon for this troubled stately home.