Pavilion open day reveals Rolling Stones visit
By Burton Mail  |  Posted: September 17, 2014

By Rob Helliwell


It is rare to arrive at an historic 17th-century pavilion and be told you are following in the footsteps of an iconic British rock band.

But this was the case on visiting Swarkestone Pavilion's Heritage Open Day, part of a countrywide campaign to open a long list of historic buildings to the public for the day.

You may expect the building's notoriety to be down to its construction date of 1632, or the damage it took several years later during the English Civil War.

In truth, while the building is full of history, it is events in the 1960s that capture many visitors' imagination, with some being known to travel from as far afield as the USA.

The story goes that in the early 1960s a relatively unknown rock band arrived at the pavilion to do a photo shoot for a new album.

That band was the Rolling Stones, and in 1968 the images appeared as they promoted their album Beggars Banquet, later also using the pictures on the back of their compilation album Hot Rocks.

The meteoric rise of the Stones turned these snaps into famous images that have done no harm to the publicity of the pavilion.

It would be wrong to dwell too long on this single day of rock fame, and housekeeper Eloise Hubball was delighted to talk more about the building's past.

"It was built in 1632 by John Harpur, who had inherited the nearby Swarkestone Hall as his own," she said.

"There are some bloodthirsty rumours about what the pavilion was built for, but we are almost certain the area in front was a bowling alley.

"Bowling was popular among the middle classes, a game only the wealthy could afford to play.

"Unfortunately John Harpur had no heirs, so when he died the building fell into the hands of the Harpur-Crewe family, who resided at Calke Abbey. By the 1800s the pavilion had fallen into disrepair.

"The Landmark Trust purchased the building in 1985. It's now been extensively renovated and offers a chance for a romantic weekend getaway.

"Although to get to the toilet a dash across the open roof is required, which is interesting for some visitors in the middle of winter!"

The pavilion was certainly worth a weekend visit, and the venue now makes for an idyllic weekend away.




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