Oulton Hall was originally owned by the Blayds family in the mid 18th century and was built up into a substantial estate. The house was then left to John Caverley who made two significant additions to the estate. Firstly he had the parkland around the house landscaped. Within the house he commissioned the architect Sir Robert Smirke to design a library and drawing room. His other lasting legacy was the provision left in his will for a church to be built at the bottom of the drive, which is still in use today.
After a major fire in 1850 the Hall was remodelled and the Great Hall and Minstrel's Gallery was built, but the Hall's fortunes then went into decline.
In World War 1 the house was used as a hospital and convalescence home for wounded soldiers and in 1925 the Hall and grounds were sold to the county council who used it as a mental hospital until 1971. Oulton Hall changed hands again at this point, but due to lack of resources of the new owner it fell into disrepair.
In 1991 De Vere Hotels acquired the lease and rescued the Hall. £20 million has been spent on restoration and expansion and the Hall has been transformed into the only 5-star hotel in the North of England.
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