Decline
The Darnley family sold off the hall in the 1950s though they kept the mausoleum and some of the land. Without the gamekeeper maintaining security the building became prone to vandalism. On 5 November 1980 an arson attack in the crypt brought down the chapel floor. It continued to decline, and schemes proposed included moving it to Shorne Wood Country Park, or the United States and major extensions to form a large classical house. These came to nothing. In the same period vandalism and joy-riding of stollen cars became endemic in the wooded landscapes, making it effectively out-of-bounds to mainstream users.
Read more about this topic: Darnley Mausoleum
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