Swarkestone Hall Pavilion also known as Swarkestone Stand and The Grandstand is a 17th Century Pavilion 200 metres north of the ruins of Swarkestone Hall, Swarkestone, Derbyshire. It is a Grade I listed building and may be found at. on Google Earth, South of Chellaston on the A514.
The Harpur family resided at Swarkestone Hall and in 1632 commissioned architect John Smythson, one of England's first true architects and son of the great Robert Smythson, to design a bowling green enclosure and pavilion in the grounds of the Hall.
It was built by Richard Shepperd at a cost of £111 12s 4d, [1] from fine ashlar Keuper sandstone, decorated with the coat of arms of Sir John Harpur. The walled enclosure, for the Bowling Green (some say bull baiting ring) is known as "The Cuttle". The building is in a Jacobean style with a two-storey centre, castellated parapet, flanked by a pair of three-storey towers with leaded cupolas topped by balled finials. [2]
The main Harpur line failed with the death of Henry Harpur in 1677 and the estate fell to the descendants of his Great Uncle, Sir Henry Harpur who had bought an estate at Calke Abbey in 1621. Thereafter Calke was the principal seat of the family and Swarkestone Hall fell into decline. It was demolished around 1750, with only its 17th century gate piers and the ruins of the house (both Grade II listed) remaining.
In June 1968 the Rolling Stones had a photo shoot with Michael Joseph in and around the Pavilion for the album Beggar's Banquet. Additional pictures were used for the Stones' first compilation album, Hot Rocks 1964–1971. For many Stones fans, the images created on this shoot are among the best ever of the band.[3] Beggar's Banquet was re-released in a different sleeve without these pictures.
After many years of neglect the Pavilion was acquired by the Landmark Trust who carried out restoration and preservation work and now offer the building for holiday accommodation.