Description

TG 20 SW SWARDESTON GOWTHORPE

6/108 Gowthorpe Manor House
2-10-51
II*

House, C16 and C17 with additions and alterations of 1908, for the Styward
(Steward) family. Brick, part encased timber frame, plain tiles, crowstepped
gables. 2 storeys and attic. Early-C16 brick encased timber framed range
to west with mid-C16 stair turret to rear; T shaped C17 brick range to east,
ranges joined by narrow early-C17 link; 2 porches, both dated 1574 to west
of west range and east of wing to east range; extensive service additions
to north-east dated 1908 incorporating some C17 brick work. C16 range to
west: timber framed, 4 bays remaining of 6, encased in brick, dated 1669;
facade to west: 3 bays, 2 storeys and attic; varied ages of brickwork,
crowstepped gables; end internal stack to left with 2 octagonal C19 shafts
in C16 style of decorative moulded brick with cusped caps. Single storeyed
porch to centre bay with ashlar facade, spiked stone ball finials to gable
and gabled parapet base; semi-circular arch with trefoils to spandrels,
dated 1574 above; no interior door or doorway; return walls rendered with
cyma recta cornice. Openings to facade of 1908 with Tudor grille leaded
lights and heavy wooden frames having ovolo moulded mullions and transoms,
ground floor with 4 lights to bay 1, 2 of 2-lights in former openings with
cambered arches to bay 3, all with square hood moulds; 3 2-light openings
to first floor; attic with 3 pedimented roof dormers of 1983, lead roofs
and returns, 2-light wrought iron leaded casements in C17 style. Right
return of range to south with 5-light opening to ground floor to match west
facade; First floor with 4-light mullioned and transomed window in rendered
brick with pediment and quoined jambs; gable rebuilt with similar pedimented
attic window of 2-lights; gable with date 1669 in iron. Left return to
north in English bond cutting off 2 bays of timberframed range, 3 blocked
openings to centre with cambered heads now to front of later internal stack.
Rear: link to east range to centre; rear to south of link with flint base,
external stack with central portion removed to form tall recess with
4-centred arch, single stack to first floor capped by C19 octagonal
decorative C16 style shafts. Rear to north of link with 3-storeyed stair
turret of colourwashed brick, flint and stone to north, rendered to east;
ground and first floor to north and east with 3-light hollow chamfered
mullioned openings, small 2-light openings to second floor. Interior:
ground floor now one room remodelled in C18 with 2 fluted pilasters to front
and rear, panelled wainscotting, semi-circular shelved cupboards to recesses
either side of rear wall fireplace; north gable end fireplace with heavy
carved wood surround, both fireplaces with Dutch tiles. First floor with
massive doorway with ¼ mouldings from stair turret, lobby with C17 panelling;
south room perhaps part of earlier cross wing with heavy corner post and
braced tie to east, later timberframed partition. Attic with 4 numbered
bays, formerly 6, 3-tiered roof with l5m principal rafters, clasped purlins
and collars, curved wind braces, roof partially renewed. Stair turret a
later C16 addition, entrance now from link with 4-centred doorway with treble
roll mouldings, spandrels carved with Styward crest and arms; square headed
ledged and battened door with wrought iron fittings; wooden stair newel;
treads with decorative stops at newel, lower treads renewed; timber framing
between turret and range visible. Link between east and west ranges, early
C17, English bond brick and pantiles, 2 storeys partially encasing stair
turret to south. Facade to north: moulded brick platband; ground floor
with rendered brick cross window to left having Tudor grille leaded lights,
brick doorway to right formerly rendered, semi-circular arch with panel
above flanked by brick pilasters and containing semi-circular moulded floral
decoration. Facade to south: ground floor with similar doorway to right,
3-light openings to left and to centre first floor with rendered mullions
and transoms. East range: early C17, brick, crowstepped gables. Facade
to east with forward central 2-storeyed wing, with crowstepped gable, all
of English bond, 3 bays, 2 storeys and attic; gabled forward wing to east
of 2 storeys and attic; 2-storeyed service ranges of 1908 to north-east
extending from angle of east wing and main range. Internal gable end stacks
to main range, 2 C19 shafts to south stack of moulded brick with castellated
caps, 4 similar C19 shafts to north stack with rose decoration. Bay 1 to
east with windows of 1908 as to west range, 3-lights to ground floor,
2-lights to first floor with lattice leaded lights. Forward wing to central
bay with part external stack to first floor having 2 C19 shafts as to main
range, openings flanking stack of single transomed light as to south gable
of west wing, 2 similar square attic lights. Added single-storey porch
to ground floor in style of porch of 1574 to west wing: brick, with stone
gable parapet as to west range; entablature with drop finials left and right,
cartouche with date 1574 as to west porch; renewed ledged and battened
4-centred door with spandrels having Styward arms and crest; lozenge opening
to gable pediment; small lights to returns probably of 1908. Left return
of range to south: small opening to ground floor left; first floor with
2 rendered brick cross windows with pediments, 2 small square openings to
attic of rendered brick with rendered pediments and quoined jambs. Right
return of range to north: some lozenge decoration of patterned headers,
moulded brick platband; 2 inserted openings to ground floor, first floor
with 2 rendered brick openings as to south return, attic with 2 blocked
openings as to south gable but with vertical iron bar. Interior of east
range: ground floor with central cross passage from wing to link; room to
north with large fireplace to gable with inglenook seats; large bressumer;
lambs tongue stopped tie beams; fossil rendered mullioned window to east
and west walls. Room to south with narrowed fireplace in chimney bay having
4-centred stone arch, Steward arms above in wood with semi-circular headed
arch surround with guilloche decoration; cupboard to right with cockscomb
hinges. Large attic of 6 bays and chimney bay either end; 3-tier butt purlin
roof with curved braces; lowered purlins to bays 2 and 5 to west, one now
with inserted dormer; chamfered principal rafters; brick fireplaces to
each gable, that to south with basket arch, chamfered jambs with decorative
stops, oven to left; fireplace to north gable with 4-centred arch with nick
stopped chamfers to jambs. Service range dated 1908 in iron to north-east,
of red brick in Flemish bond, crowstepped gables, wood mullioned windows
as to west range. Attached garden wall to west, in brick, continuing north
return of west range and returning to west with arched gateway.

Listing NGR: TG2084802321

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17531759

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.

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