Barlaston Hall is an English Palladian country house located on a ridge overlooking the Trent Valley. It is a Grade I listed building. The description by Historic England can be seen at the following link: (
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"The hall was built by architect Sir Robert Taylor for Thomas Mills in 1756-8, to replace the existing manor house that he had acquired through marriage.
The hall has a red-brick exterior. It is one of a few of Taylor's buildings which retain his trademark octagonal and diamond glazing in the sash windows.
In 1937 Josiah Wedgwood and Sons Ltd purchased the 380 acre Barlaston Hall Estate. A new all electric pottery and model village for employees was established and opened in 1940 with railway sidings and a new station, Wedgwood Halt. The coming of Wedgwood did not mar the rural aspect of Barlaston, largely because of the firm deliberately preserved the parkland setting of the works. To this day the approach down to Wedgwood's from all directions and in particular the route passed Barlaston Hall are simply beautiful.
In the late 1940s the hall became the Wedgwood Memorial College but, due to dry rot, the college was forced to move to 'The Limes' in 1949. The hall was neglected and fell into disrepair, but was renovated in the 1980s.
As a consequence of extensive coal mining the area was subject to subsidence and considerable work was needed to stabilise the hall. It was subject to major restoration by Save Britain's Heritage's in the 1990s."
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A report about the hall by Matt Jackson appeared in The Sentinel on 27th April 2019 and reads as follows;
'Historic North Staffordshire hall sold for around £2 million (& the new owner's very lucky!)
Barlaston Hall in Barlaston is up for sale
A stunning listed property in North Staffordshire offered up with a guide price of £2 million looks to have been snapped up.
The 18th century Barlaston Hall on Queen Mary's Drive - which boasts seven bedrooms - had been marketed by estate agent German Fisher.
But an update on the agent's website says that a sale has been agreed for the Grade I-listed property, which was built between 1756 to 1758 by architect Sir Robert Taylor for a local lawyer called Thomas Mills.
Mr Mills wanted the hall so he could entertain his guests.
Details of the property listed in a German Fisher brochure state: "Barlaston Hall is being offered for sale and here we explore the history of this captivating property from its original magnificence to its decline, its abandonment, its brush with demolition and its eventual restoration to the wonderful property you see today.
"Barlaston Hall can be considered as something of a phoenix from the ashes. One of the county’s most impressive restoration success stories, Barlaston Hall was once in such a perilous state of decay that it was sold for one pound having only narrowly avoided total demolition.
"Look through the stunning pictures in this brochure and it is clear that the Hall is very much restored to its former glory."
The hall boasts a reception, library, saloon, dining room, modern kitchen, study, and its own integral flat complete with sitting room, kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom.
As well as the extensive building the sale will include the beautifully maintained 4.5 acre grounds sculpted by RHS Chelsea Flower Show medalist Arabella Lennox-Boyd.
It includes three garages, stables, stores, a garden room, and an orangery, all set around a garden kitchen.
The current owners bought the hall in 1992 and undertook the massive task of restoring the building back to its former glory after it became endangered by dry-rot.
Pottery company Wedgwood twice applied to demolish the hall in the 1980s before selling it to SAVE Britain's Heritage on the condition that it was restored within five years.
Trevor Underhill, part of Britain's Best Kept Village, welcomes the sale and hopes the building could one day be opened to members of the public.
He said: "I think originally it was sold for just £1 and I believe it was funded by the taxpayer with some repairs being done by the coal board. It would be nice then from a local point of view if people could have a look around it.
"I remember back when it was derelict and the current owners have brought it back into use which is nice for the area."
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