Description

BELTON BROWSTON LANE
TG 40 SE (east side)
7/2 Browston Green
Browston Hall Hotel
27.11.54 (formerly listed as Braunston
Hall together with Orangery)
- II*

House, now hotel. Late C17, rebuilt mid C18, altered C19. Rendered and
colourwashed brick. Plain tiled roofs. South block is original, the east
and west gables retaining 2 circular windows in heads. Fragments of original
kneelers to gable heads. South front is C18 and C19. 2 storeys in 3 bays.
Central false doorway in stucco : imitation 6-panel door within moulded eaves
and shouldered surround; frieze of foliage trail below dentiled hood supported
on scrolled consoles. To left and right are full height canted bays of C19
with plate glass sashes. Over door a further sash window. Egg and dart eaves
cornice is C18 over door and machine cut C19 over canted bays. Gabled roof
with internal end stacks. Cross wing to north added, or completely
remodelled, in mid C18. West side forms entrance to building. 2 storeys and
dormer attic in 3 bays. Central panelled door within moulded doorcase and
below hood. Windows are C19 plate glass sashes as before. Gabled roof with
one gabled dormer. This wing is double piled, the east side exhibiting
similar fenestration and 2 gabled dormers. One ridge stack to each roof,
eccentrically placed. 2 further ranges abut to north, of C18 origins but much
altered C19 and C20. Abutting north-east side of central C18 block is a mid
C18 orangery. Rectangular and glazed on eastern sides, with canted corners.
Timber framing rises full height containing closely spaced glazing bars.
Glazed doorway opens into orangery from south. Hipped roof with black glazed
pantiles. Interior. Fine mid C18 open well staircase with one turn to right.
Closed string with scrolled tread ends, each tread with 3 bobbin and square
turned balusters. Ramped and wreathed handrail. Plaster ceiling above
staircase in rectangular panels enclosing central roundel. In roundel an
eagle grips the light bracket. Over entrance door is figure of Minerva.
Dining room and drawing room now opened into a single bar area. 2 further
plaster ceilings, that to west with a central radiating sun. Round the sun
is a circular arabesque Rococo trail extending into 4 corners to surround 4
medallions with 4 female heads (the 4 ages of woman). The eastern room ceiling
is simpler. A central flying eagle within a Rococo circular trail. This within
a square foliate trail with occasional excrescences. In the window bay of
the west room an Arcadian scene of figures in C18 dress disporting themselves
within several imaginary landscapes. 2 churches and a windmill, trees, a lake
and other devices. This scene is suspiciously eclectic : the figures are
Fragonardesque, the landscape reminiscent of Japanese prints, the buildings
Romantic and the whole neatly fits a C19 canted bay. Remainder of the ceilings
by a different hand. The general conception and design of arabesque work is
C18. The figures of the women and the eagles appear C19. The-ceilings restored
1970's. All doors are panelled and within shouldered surrounds and panelled
reveals.

Listing NGR: TG4997201741

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17554382

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

• 
  Wiltshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects by Harwood, Richard (2012) Paperback
• 
  Suffolk: West: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  The Victorian House Manual (2nd Edition): How They Were Built, Improvements & Refurbishment, Solutions to All Common Defects - Includes Relevant ... ... Properties (Haynes Manual) (Haynes Manuals)
• 
  Somerset: South and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Hampshire: South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)