Verney Institute Village Hall Newboundmill Lane Pleasley Derbyshire

The hall was built at the expense of Frederick William Verney MP (1846-1913) who had inherited the Manor of Pleasley from his step-mother Parthenope Verney, the elder sister of Florence Nightingale. Frederick's wife, Maude, installed the clock and bell tower in 1914 in memory of her husband.

LISTING TEXT Alternatively known as: The Vemey Institute, NEWBOUNDMILL LANE Village Hall. 1905-6, with minor late C20 alterations. By Parker and Unwin, architects, of Baldock and Letchworth (Herts), formerly of Buxton (Derbyshire). Roughcast brickwork beneath a hipped, pantiled roof. Simple Arts and Crafts style. FRONT (north-west) ELEVATION : Tall linear range runs parallel to street frontage, with lower advanced wings to each end, linked by lean-to entrance porch, above which rises a pediment-like gable. This has a clock face in the gable apex, above a 3- light window. Above this, a small bell-tower with a shallow, lead covered pyramidal roof. To the right of the central gable and projecting from an enclosed part of the porch, a tall shouldered brick chimney stack supporting 2-diagonally set shafts. A second, similarly detailed stack extends from the north-east gable, with angled flanking walls rising above eaves level. Advanced wings each with a single 3-light casement window, with leaded glazing. REAR ELEVATION: Advanced hipped bay to left-hand end, with single 3-light ground -floor casement, and 3 shallow eaves-level windows with leaded glazing. 3 further bays are delineated by shallow raking buttresses, and with transomed casements set within gablets. Similar windows at ground floor level. INTERIOR: Not inspected but documentary evidence at time of listing reveals full-height hall with exposed king post roof trusses, and diagonal underboarding of the roof slopes. Hearth recess to north-east end with canted hearth, below plain mantel shelf and flanked by angled built-in settles with high boarded backs. The hearth is recessed within a wide arched opening. At each side of the arch, fixed cupboards stand at the end of the hearth settles. Other surviving interior fixtures include wall panelling, tiered mantel shelving incorporating double cupboards, and planked doors with integral lights and original door furniture. HISTORY: This almost unaltered village hall may represent one of the final designs of Parker and Unwin whilst the practice was still located in Buxton. Unwin had undertaken work for the Staveley Iron and Coal Company prior to joining Parker, and Pleasley was also a mining and textile manufacturing community. The building retains much detailing characteristic of the work of Parker and Unwin, and the interior fitted furniture around the domestic-scale hearth is particularly noteworthy.