Description

SX 79 SE
2/8

DUNSFORD
Great Fulford House

11.11.52

GV
I
Manor house. C16 with refurbishing of the late C17 and some remodelling of circa 1800. The house has been the family home of the Fulford family since the reign of Richard I (Tipping). Roughcast stone rubble with some Beerstone dressings, three axial stacks to the hall range and further stacks behind the battlemented parapet, slate
roofs.

Four ranges round a quadrangle with an archway into the courtyard in the centre of the east range opposite the hall (west) range. A second, smaller courtyard to the rear (west) of the hall is surrounded by service buildings, the west block being the former kitchen. The C17 and early C19 alterations make it difficult to establish the early development of the house but the survival of C16 features in the west, east and south ranges and a doorway to the rear courtyard indicates that the double courtyard plan is at least C16 in origin and that the late C17 alterations were a matter of refurbishing and internal re-arrangement including a number of bolection-moulded panelled rooms, a fine staircase, the panelling in the chapel and corridors in the east and south wings which in several cases, cut across C16 plaster ceilings. In circa 1800 there were modest alterations in the Gothic style.

The south and east wings were given three-storey projecting bays with fenestration to match the existing late C16 windows. Some internal Gothic embellishments in the east south and west wings were provided. A porch leading directly into the great hall in the centre of the west wing may also be of circa 1800, although it is said to be a copy of one of Batty Langley's designs.

The battlementing of the east range and probably of the other ranges also dates from circa 1800. In the late C20 the old kitchen block has been converted to cottages. Three storeys. The principal elevation is the east range with a symmetrical five-window front, a battlemented parapet, string course at first floor level and three-storey canted bays at either end. The central gateway into the courtyard has a moulded four-centred C16 archway with a good two-leaf plank and stud door with a wicket and some later applied Gothic detail below a square-headed hoodmould with carved label stops; arabesques and Renaissance foliage carved in the spandrels. Above the archway armorial bearings in a moulded frame are flanked by C17 figures carved in deep relief. The only ground floor windows are in the C19 bays: three-light mullioned windows that continue to the ground with hoodmoulds and label stops. Three first floor four-light mullioned windows in the centre have transoms, hoodmoulds and label stops; the bays have similar larger windows. Three four-light timber mullioned windows on the second floor have hoodmoulds and label stops; similar larger windows to the bays.

The south elevation is similar but with three ground floor four-light mullioned transomed windows. The west end of the south elevation has a moulded archway with a studded door leading into the rear courtyard. The north elevation is not roughcast: the fenestration is scattered and the stonework indicates considerable repair, much of it probably in 1910, the date of the rainwater heads.

The west elevation has two tall timber arched stair windows of circa 1800, a curious one-bay single storey projection on the west wall of the hall and three second floor four-light timber mullioned windows. All the fenestration facing the central courtyard is of mullioned windows; the hall range is crowned by a circa 1800 clock turret with a tent roof and has a central Gothic flat-roofed porch with an ogee arch and flamboyant tracery in roundels in the spandrels; the design is said to be copied from Batty Langley.

Interior: the two-storey hall has a late C17 decorated plaster ceiling, a C19 Gothic chimney piece with carved spandrels and wainscot panelling of C16 and C17 dates with considerable Edwardian repair. Much of the panelling is likely to have originated elsewhere in the house and includes carved panels (two dated 1534), linenfold panels and some unusual large scale figures in deep relief. The chimney piece includes caryatids and the overmantel is a relief carving of the Fall.

The fine stair hall to the north of the hall is late C17 with bolection-moulded panelling and a coeval open-well stair with an open string, barleysugar balusters and ramped handrail. A very fine inlaid two-leaf panelled door at the head of the stairs has a swan-necked over door. In the east wing two large rooms have bolection-moulded panelling of the late C17 and coeval chimney-pieces. In the east wing three late C16 decorated plaster ceilings (Period One, French), have geometrical patterns enriched with sprays. In two of the rooms the ceilings have been divided by later partition walls; considerable late C17 joinery survives. Similar late C16 plaster ceilings and C17 joinery also survive in the south wing. Gothic plaster friezes and details embellish rooms in the west, south and east range; the single-storey projecting bay to the hall has a plaster Gothic vault and the hall window reveals are decorated with Gothic motifs. The ground floor room on the south east corner of the house is completely Gothic with pre-archaeological stained glass and Gothic mouldings applied to the door and shutters.

The former chapel in the east wing retains its late C17 panelling but the fittings have been removed; some to Dunsford Parish Church (qv) and some probably to the great hall.

There are numerous small service rooms of interest in the west range with chamfered stopped cross beams and a narrow first floor room with a blocked squint looking down into the great hall. No access to west range roofspace at time of survey (1985) but a medieval roof structure may exist. The south range roof trusses are circa late C16 collar rafter, mortised at the apex. North range roofspace not thoroughly inspected but appears to be largely C20 replacement.

The home of one of the oldest families in the County. The manor belonged to the Priory of Canonsleigh until the Reformation when it was bought by Sir John Fulford although the family is documented at the house as early as the reign of Richard I. A large manor house with important late C16 plasterwork and extensive late C17 joinery. The circa 1800 alterations are unlikely to be by Sir Jeffry Wyatville although this has been suggested. Two illustrations of the house are in the possession of the present owner: a line drawing preceding the circa 1800 alterations show the east range with small gables to the front. A circa 1800 architectural drawing is unsigned.

Listing NGR: SX7907291710

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17527328

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Nottinghamshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair
• 
  Gwent/Monmouthshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Wales)