The Library, Weelsby Old Hall (1902).
This remarkable illustration depicts the library of Weelsby Old Hall, once one of north-east Lincolnshire’s most distinguished country houses. Published in The Building News on 31 January 1902, it accompanied an article describing the extensive alterations and improvements undertaken by John James Cresswell (1858–1944), Architect, whose work transformed the Hall at the beginning of the twentieth century.
Born in Louth, Cresswell trained under the celebrated architect James Fowler before establishing his own practice in Grimsby. He became one of the region’s leading architects, designing and restoring numerous civic, ecclesiastical, commercial and domestic buildings across Lincolnshire. His commission at Weelsby Old Hall demonstrated both his reputation and the confidence placed in him by the Hall’s owners.
The library reflects the fashionable Tudor and Jacobean Revival style of the late Victorian and Edwardian period. Rich oak panelling surrounds the room, while an elaborate moulded plaster ceiling, supported by deeply carved timber beams, creates a striking architectural feature overhead. A magnificent carved chimney piece dominates one wall, incorporating classical figures, decorative balustrades and an overmantel mirror. Built-in cabinets display collections of ceramics and silverware, and the large arched window overlooks the landscaped grounds, flooding the room with natural light.
The figures of a lady arranging flowers and a gentleman seated beside the fire were included by the illustrator to convey both the scale of the room and the comfort of country house life. Together with the finely carved furniture, patterned carpet and carefully chosen decorative objects, they present an interior of exceptional craftsmanship and refinement.
More than an architectural illustration, this engraving is an invaluable historical document. It is believed to be the only surviving published view of the interior of Weelsby Old Hall, preserving a room that would otherwise have been lost to history.
The Hall’s story came to a tragic conclusion during the Luftwaffe raid of 14 June 1943. By then, Weelsby Old Hall had been requisitioned for wartime service as an auxiliary hospital. Contemporary newspaper reports record that showers of incendiary bombs started hundreds of fires across Grimsby and that Weelsby Old Hall was gutted by fire, although all of the patients were successfully rescued by hospital staff, assisted by troops. The building never recovered from the damage and was subsequently demolished, bringing to an end the history of one of Lincolnshire’s finest country houses.
Today, Weelsby Woods is one of Grimsby’s most cherished public parks. Thousands of visitors enjoy its woodland and open spaces, often unaware that a magnificent country house once stood nearby. This illustration therefore survives not only as a superb example of Edwardian architectural illustration, but also as a poignant reminder of a remarkable building, the craftsmanship it embodied, and the devastating impact of war on the heritage of north-east Lincolnshire.
The original engraving has been digitally conserved and sympathetically colourised by the Grimsby & Cleethorpes Museum to aid modern interpretation while faithfully respecting the character of the 1902 publication.
