Longnor Hall, Longnor, Shropshire

Description

SJ 4800-4900 LONGNOR C.P. LONGNOR

9/65 Longnor Hall
29.1.52

- I

Country house. Dated 1670, built for Sir Richard Corbett and finished
c.1694 for his son, Uvedale Corbett, with alterations of 1838-42 by Edward
Haycock of Shrewsbury. Red brick with yellow/grey sandstone ashlar dressings;
hipped plain tile roof. Double pile plan of 7 x 5 bays. 2 storeys and
attic over basement. North (entrance) front: tall chamfered stone plinth,
chamfered quoins, moulded floor band at ground-floor cornice level, and
moulded stone eaves cornice with C19 moulded cast-iron guttering; 3 large
brick ridge stacks (fourth dummy stack for symmetry now removed). 2:3:2
bays; C18 glazing bar sashes, each with moulded stone architrave, pulvinated
frieze and cornice, central first-floor window with triangular pediment;
large central shaped gable (profile altered by Haycock) of 3 bays: outer
windows with triangular pediments, central oval plaque with carved bird
and moulded architrave above centre window flanking C19 octagonal ashlar
turrets with moulded bases and capitals, stone coping, and pineapple
finial at apex with flagpole behind; pair of flanking mid-C19 brick eaves
dormers with segmental-headed sashes and stone-coped shaped gables; basement
windows, some still with flat-faced or chamfered mullions. Central pair
of doors with 2 bolection-moulded panels each, moulded stone architrave
and stone doorcase with three-quarter Ionic columns, supporting entablature
with carved (guilloche ornament) and dated soffit: R C 1670", pulvinated
frieze, and large segmental pediment with carved coat of arms in tympanum.
Flight of 6 stone steps has curving balustrades with moulded bases and
handrails and panelled square end piers with moulded caps. C18 lead
downpipe between second and third bays from left with paterae on fixings
and C19 rainwater head lettered: "ERTC". Rear (park front): 2:3:2 bays.
Five c.1838-42 brick eaves dormers with stone-coped shaped gables. Central
pair of half-glazed doors with moulded architrave and stone doorcase
consisting of corpulent fluted Corinthian pilasters, entablature including
cornice with egg and dart enrichment, and large segmental pediment.
6 stone steps with curtails to top 4 (lower 2 later) and probably C18
wrought-iron balustrade with stick balusters, columular newels, and ramped
handrails. Side elevations of 1:3:1 bays; windows with moulded architraves
and central c.1840 brick eaves dormers with shaped gables. Interior:
almost complete late C17 interiors. Entrance Hall: 5-bays wide; bolection-
moulded panels with dado rail and moulded cornice; pairs of doors with
2 bolection-moulded panels, bolection-moulded architraves , pulvinated
friezes and broken triangular pediments with carving in tympana (library
doorway with swan-necked pediment and carved tympanum with urn above);
small doors to service stairs at each end; heavy cross-beamed ceiling
with moulded plaster cornices; fireplace with carved bolection-moulded
surround and moulded cornice. Library: late C18 Adam-style ornament;
bookcases have fluted square columns with acanthus capitals, enriched
plaster frieze with shells, swags and festoons, and urn above each column
and moulded cornice; enriched plaster ceiling with central, rose and radial
wreathed segments with urns, diagonal corners and wide strips on 2 sides;
fireplace has paired fluted pilasters (without entasis) with acanthus
caps, fluted frieze with central plaque and urns above pilasters, moulded
cornice and cast-iron grate. Smoking room: C17-style panelling with
C18 moulded cornice and ceiling beams; C18 fireplace with depressed arch,
panelled sides, and late C18 cast-iron grate with urns. Drawing room
(centre of south front): painted bolection-moulded panelling with dado
rail; 2 pairs of double doors in enfilade having lugged architraves,
each with carved swags in raised centre, carved frieze and cornice, and
carved bolection-moulded panel above. Compartmented beamed ceiling with
moulded cornice: central panel has oval wreath of carved wood or moulded-
plaster foliage and fruit with monograms (probably of Sir Richard Corbett)
in spandrels. Fireplace with bolection-moulded marble surround and overmantel
consisting of carved bolection-moulded panel with carved foliage at base,
flanking carved drops, carved crossed palms above, and flanking tall
panels with lugged bases; carved frieze and cornice above. Small Drawing
Room: (kitchen at time of survey - October, 1985). Bolection-moulded
panels and panelled doors, moulded architraves, cornices and ceiling
beam, and fireplace with bolection-moulded marble surround. Dining Room:
bolection-moulded panelling with dado rail, moulded architraves and cornices;
Chinese wallpaper on 2 walls. Probably early C18 fireplace with depressed-
arched marble surround and moulded cornice; overmantel with pair of panelled
pilasters flanking panel with carved bolection moulding and carved festoons
and cornice above; tall panels and pair of small doors flanking chimney-
piece. Right-hand door leads to small room with moulded cornice and
plaster ceiling with thin ribs in a geometrical pattern. Staircase Hall:
wainscot panelling and moulded cornice; 2 pairs of doors with bolection-
moulded panels and doorcases, each consisting of lugged architrave stopping
short with scrolls, flanking enriched narrow panelled pilasters resting
on tall bases with carved drops and supporting carved scroll brackets,
carved frieze and cornice and broken segmental pediment. Elaborate staircase
(cf Powis Castle, Powys) of 3 flights around square well with landings
and first-floor balustrade on 2 sides: inlaid treads and risers with
moulded nosings, heavily carved closed string, heavy balusters with carved
leaf decoration, carved handrail, and square newels with enriched carved
panels, bases and caps; carved waiscot panelling ramped up to panelled
dies; landing with doorcases as hall but with closed segmental pediments,
one of only ¾ width; carved cornice with egg and dart enrichment and
carved consoles alternating with paterae. Two dog-leg service staircases,
one probably late C17 with closed string, twisted balusters, moulded
handrail and panelled square newel posts with pendants and one probably
C18 with pulvinated closed string, turned balusters, and square newel
posts with pendants. Bedrooms: almost complete survival of late C17
fittings and decoration including bolection-moulded wainscot panelling
and fully panelled fireplace walls, fireplaces with bolection-moulded
surrounds (some with pilastered and panelled overmantels), doors and
architraves, and cornices etc. Attached small-dressing rooms (one now
an Art Deco bathroom). Doors with bolection-moulded panels throughout
house. The windows formerly had stone mullions and transoms (see patched
architraves), the sashes probably date from the early to mid-C18. Haycock's
work at the house included altering the eaves (see courses of C19 brickwork),
altering the profile of the large shaped gable, and adding the dormers.
Longnor Hall is a good example of the type of plan which Sir Roger Pratt
called "a double pile" and is especially notable for the completeness
of its late C17 fittings. V.C.H., Vol. VIII, p.110; B.O.E., p.174;
H. Avray Tipping, English Homes. Period IV. Vol. I. Late Stuart, 1649-
1714, Country Life (1924), pp.145-54; Country Life (1964), Vol. CXXXV,
pp.328-31 and 392-6; Colvin, p.407; The Archeological Journal, Vol. CXIII
(1956), pp.199-200 and Vol. 138 (1981), pp.35-6.

Listing NGR: SJ4859400504

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Longnor Hall

A Grade I Listed Building in Longnor, Shropshire

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