The Sutton family of nearby Averham had been Lords of the Manor at Kelham since the thirteenth century. There had been a house on the site well before the Civil War. The Sanderson map of 1835 shows the hall with a rectangular field to the south, a large pond and a belt of tree planting to the west. The open fields to the north and south of the pond appear to be planted with parkland trees. After a fire a new hall was built 1859-1861 and William Andrews Nesfield was commissioned c.1860 to prepare plans for the pleasure grounds of the Hall. Nesfield's design for a set of steps on the Bastion of the 'South Garden' dated July 23rd, 1860 were constructed and still exist as per plan. He prepared recommendations and a plan of a 'Geometric Garden' and pleasure ground. The ground plan for the parterre in the Geometric Garden still exists, although the plan for the pleasure ground does not. He also made recommendations concerning a grand entrance court and a riverside arboretum. It is thought that neither of these proposals were executed. The landscape prior to Nesfield was well developed with features such as the eighteenth century ha-ha and tree belts. It would appear that he extended and interplanted the western tree belts as they are very varied and still contain a good number of arboretum specimens. In 1903 the hall became a theological college for the Society of the Sacred Mission. They rented the site at first and then eventually bought the freehold in 1919. It is thought that they carried out extensive orchard planting at the junction of the King's Walk and the Long Walk. The hall and the grounds remained in the ownership of the Society until it was purchased by the newly created Newark & Sherwood District Council in November 1973. (2)
See M17816 for first Kelham Hall, M13970 for 1861 building.

<1> Notts Historic Gardens Trust, 1995-1997, Notts Historic Parks and Gardens Files (Unpublished document). SNT4553.

<2> Biggadyke J, 1995, Kelham Hall - Register Review Report (Unpublished document). SNT4571.

<3> A. Lane, 2020, Land at Kelham Hall, Main Road, Kelham, Nottinghamshire, NG23 5QX: Archaeological Evaluation Report (Unpublished document). SNT5258.