As Merseyside’s first family, the Earl and Countess of Derby have given the annual public opening of Knowsley Hall a personal theme for Capital of Culture. Peter Elson reports

LIVING life on such a grand scale at Knowsley Hall, the Earls of Derby were known as the Kings of Lancashire.

And the hall itself, built on stupendous dimensions, is indeed a palace fit for a king. However, in the streamlined, accountancy culture of today, ownership of such a vast pile is as burdensome as it is glorious.

When the 19th Earl, Edward Stanley, inherited the title in 1994, difficult decisions had to be made about the famous family seat, which largely dates from the 15th to the 18th century.

The family home is actually Knowsley new house, some distance across the estate, built by the 18th Earl in 1966.

During the interim, the old hall was hired out to Merseyside Police, but when this lease ended, the future of the property stood at a very awkward crossroads.

Finally, a decision was made to restore the hall as a conference and meetings centre, available for corporate and private hire, with or without use of the surrounding parkland.

To this end, the artistic eye of the Countess of Derby, a former curator of the Queen’s picture collection at Windsor Castle, proved invaluable.

Lady Derby took what had become a deeply institutionalised building, which – proportions apart – was almost totally bereft of features from its former life as a stately home.

In spite of having one young son and another baby on the way, she took a hands-on role repainting and furnishing rooms as the builders reinstated what was lost.

Huge state rooms were refurbished and furniture and pictures in long term storage were returned to the hall. Other items sold over the years have been bought in sales and returned to Knowsley.

However, there is one niggle. Such is the quality of the restoration, it is hard to imagine that the hall was ever anything other than a palatial property built to entertain and impress.

"Even I can’t believe the incredible amount of work that went into putting all that you can see back in place," says Lady Derby.

"Some of the rooms were painted orange, with strip lighting and false ceilings. But I do remember vividly the effort of painting away with a baby under one arm while expecting another."

The result of all this expense and effort can be seen in Knowsley’s five-day annual public opening, starting from tomorrow.

"We originally considered opening the hall to visitors on a daily basis, but the costs did not add up, given what we needed for restoration," says Lord Derby.

"Although we went for the conference route instead, we’re still keen for the public to see the hall, which we know means so much to local people, particularly those whose family members have worked here in the past."

Lady Derby adds: "Now we’ve embraced the idea of these annual public openings, we like to make them different each year with themed exhibitions.

"We know people come back each year on repeat visits, so we don’t want them to think it’s the same old thing.

* FOR a closer look at the inside of Knowsley Hall, visit www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/galleries