Nether Edge contains some fine mansions including Kenwood House, now named the Kenwood Hall Hotel, which dates back to 1844 and was the home of famous Sheffield cutler George Wostenholm. Although he died in 1876 it was in his family until 1922. Strangely enough the house is not listed.
Twenty-four years after ‘Kenwood’, it’s original name, was built it was decided to build the North Lodge Gate House which was designed by William Flockton. This Grade II listed building now looks set to take on a new lease of life.
The hotel itself has changed hands a few times and its new owners have decided to separate the Lodge and sell it off. They had looked at the possibility of using it as either an hotel apartment or staff quarters but the final decision is to build a new fence and thus create a new curtilage. A fourth bedroom and new kitchen are to be added and the existing kitchen turned into a utility room.
The prominent archway which still displays Wostenholm’s arms and crest is to be glazed in, not an ideal solution but much better that the applicant’s original idea which was to fill it in! A gravelled area is to be created in front of the Lodge to allow cars to park and turn. As the Lodge is situated alongside a roundabout this seems a rather strange idea and the Conservation Advisory Group felt that this was setting a dangerous precedent, but no doubt it has been thought through in spite of a strong complaint which has been made.
We mentioned earlier that the hotel has changed hands once or twice and it has certainly undergone various changes over the years. It first became an hotel in 1922 when it was sold at auction for the princely sum of £5,000 to Kenwood Limited. Business was obviously good as a new bedroom wing was added in 1930. In the mid 1950s a banqueting suite was built which involved the loss of four greenhouses, and in 1975 a brand-new hotel was built in the grounds and its name – Hotel St George – is still used by many people (just like Cole Bros)! Over the next few years bits and pieces were added onto the site and it eventually became one big Swallow Hotel. Its new owners are Vine Hotels (Chairman Greg Dyke) who now have five venues in Sheffield.
The North Lodge Gate House scheme is broadly welcomed as it is not only creating a much needed housing unit but also saving a rather nice piece of Nether Edge’s history which was in great danger of becoming very dilapidated.