Built during the reign of Charles II, Sudbury is an unusual Hall located in Derbyshire. It is an important edifice, and the most richly decorated of its time among English Country Houses. In 1660, George Vernon decided to rebuild the old manor house and, as its squire for 42 years, did so without the help of an architect. Thus, the structure was a particularly individualistic one. Looking from the base of the building, it is quite noticeable that the lower sections of the house are less advanced than the upper parts, and this is as a direct result of Vernon's increasing expertise, and his employment of more highly skilled craftsmen as the work progressed.

Sudbury Hall is predominately Jacobean, yet the carved stone, wood and plasterwork are in the elaborately decorated 'classical' style, reminiscent of Wren's City churches. Vernon favoured the stone mullion-and transom windows, but it is unusual to see circular and oval sections forming part of this arrangement.

Internally, the extreme ornateness is somewhat overwhelming, especially the Caroline ceilings, which take on the appearance of 'Baroque'. Already very decorative, they were enhanced with ceiling paintings by Laguerre in the 1690s to make them even more elaborate. Possibly the most impressive ceiling of any house in England, however, can be found in the Long Gallery at Sudbury Hall. Running the entire length of the house, the plasterwork detail ranges from heads of Emperors, to shells, palm fronds and seedpods, all created around a central rosette. This work is considered by many to be the most magnificent feature of the house, closely followed by the lavishly decorated staircase balustrade, designed by Edward Pearce.

Whilst the gardens were undergoing frequent changes, the house remained largely unaltered for many years. However, in the mid-18th century, the first Lord Vernon decided that the wooden balustrade on the roof should be replaced in stone, at parapet level, to 'quieten' the effect of the hipped roof and the cupola, thereby allowing the large paneled chimney stacks to be better appreciated.

In 1839, the family moved to Italy, letting the house to tenants. Among these was Queen Adelaide, Consort to William IV, who leased Sudbury Hall for three years during her widowhood, and The Queens Room was appropriately named after her. The modest instructions she left for her funeral arrangements are displayed in the house. Continuing to 'see-saw' between family possession and various tenancies for several decades the house finally became home again to the late Lord and Lady Vernon who returned in 1922. With the help of Lady Vernon in the first instance, and later by a generous financial contribution from the Historic Buildings Council, a major restoration and refurbishment programme was carried out to give Sudbury Hall some of its former grandeur.

As well as the splendour of the Hall, present day visitors are able to enjoy the gardens, terraces and lake, as we did on a sunny May afternoon. Another notable feature in the grounds, is the castellated Gothic Deercote, built in 1751 and the most elaborate example in the country.