Derbyshire- Lost Houses
The Evans family trustees then sold the property with 23 acres of parkland , all that was left as some had been detached in the 1890s to build a villa for Henry Evans on the site of what later became St . Philomena ’ s , north of Broadway which survived until c ., 1990 when the great oaks were felled and many small homes were built on it .
Indeed , this was ultimately the fate of the remaining 23 acres , too , for Derby Corporation finally bought the site , intending to use the house for some institutional purpose , but they changed their mind with a change of control and the house was unceremoniously destroyed in 1931 . The coming of the second war , prevented housing being built there and it was only after 1968 when Darley absorbed within Derby ’ s expanded boundaries that the land was sold to private developers , who covered it with very modest housing .
Illustrations for this story in the order of appearance .
Darley House , S E angle , showing Leaper ’ s later porch ; photograph by Richard Keene c . 1857 . Private collection
Poster of 1931 advertising the sale of materials from the demolition of Darley House . Derby Local Studies Library
Darley House from the SE , photographed by Richard Keene c . 1857 . Private collection
Darley House from the E bank of the Derwent with Moses Wood ’ s church of 1819 and the West Mill ( right ), c . 1861 , drawing by Llewellyn Jewitt . Private collection
A very similar scene photographed by Richard Keene at about the same date . M . Craven
The drawing room on the SW angle , in use during prep school days as a dining room , from a postcard of c . 1928 . J . Darwin
Darley House from the south , from a post card . J . Darwin
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