Whilst driving through the heart of England on the M1 motorway, many people may have glimpsed upon the imposing ruins of a once great house but have never stopped to investigate the property. Although little more than a roofless shell remains, Sutton Scarsdale Hall stands proud and dignified overlooking the Derbyshire Vale of Scarsdale, and is well worth a closer inspection.

Remodelled from an earlier building by the architect Francis Smith between 1724 and 1729, Sutton Scarsdale Hall is built in the neo-classical Palladian style first introduced by Inigo Jones in the mid 17th century. A grandiose east front, comprising nine bays with Corinthian Orders and central Pediment, bearing the arms of the Earls of Scarsdale, looks down on the motorway. It is not difficult to imagine that once this house rivalled Chatsworth House in size and splendour, and was considered by many to be one of the finest country houses in England.

There has been a house on this site for the best part of 1,000 years, and during Saxon times it is known that the estate was owned by Wulfric Spott, a nobleman. On his death c1002, the estate passed to Burton Abbey to whom he was a patron.

Following the Norman Conquest, this Derbyshire estate would pass through many more families before being purchased by Sir John Leke in 1401. Sir John was responsible for the substantial refurbishment of St Mary's Church, dating from the 13th century and located on the south side of the hall. The Leke family retained ownership of Sutton Scarsdale Hall for over 300 years, and it was Nicholas Leke, the fourth and last Earl of Scarsdale, who commissioned the hall as seen today.

Nicholas Leke died in 1740 and, due to his considerable debts, Sutton Scarsdale Hall was sold to Godfrey Clarke of Somersall. The estate then passed through marriage to the Marquis of Ormonde, before being purchased in 1824 by Richard Arkwright, son of the famous industrialist. Sutton Scarsdale Hall was to remain in the ownership of the Arkwright family until 1919, at which time the property was sold to a consortium of Chesterfield businessman who completely 'asset stripped' the building and sold off the contents at public auction. Some of the artefacts were shipped to America, including three rooms which were sold to the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

When the roof was removed in 1920, the remaining structure was left open to the elements and was in serious danger of being demolished completely by 1946. Thankfully, the importance of the building was not lost on Sir Osbert Sitwell of Renishaw Hall, and he purchased the estate with a view to consolidating the house. With little money available for the huge task he had taken on, in 1970 the Sitwell finally persuaded the state (now English Heritage) to preserve Sutton Scarsdale Hall for the nation.

Since 1992 the public have been able to walk through the vast, empty structure and enjoy the wonderful vista across the Vale of Scarsdale. Gone are the ornamental oak panels, the carved Adam's fireplaces inlaid with local Blue John stone, and the magnificent mahogany staircase. Yet, surprisingly, some of the Italian stucco plasterwork by Vassalli and Atari does survive in situ to give the modern day visitor just a tiny glimpse of the internal splendour that once existed.