Description

HUDDINGTON CP HUDDINGTON SO 95 NW 6/180 (19/22) Huddington Court 29.12.52 GV I

House. Early C16, altered c1584. Timber-framed with painted brick and rendered infill on stone plinth; plain tiled roofs. T-plan; main range of four framed bays aligned east/west with rear wing of two framed bays probably added in the early C17; original early C16 external sandstone chimney to rear of east bay in angle with C17 wing; chimney has chamfered plinth and paired circular brick shafts each set upon an octangonal base with blind trefoiled panels; the upper and lower part of the shafts have spiral mouldings and the central part has vertical mouldings and both have octagonal concave-sided caps; there is also an external handmade brick chimney with off-sets to the rear of the west bay and at the rear wing gable end enclosed by a lean-to addition. Two storeys and attic with dormers. Framing: close-set studding throughout; some large swept braces across lower corners at first floor level; collar and tie-beam trusses with closely-set studs and two collars. Windows are mainly late C16 and wood- mullioned with leaded lights, several containing heraldic stained glass. North front elevation: ground floor has a 4-light oriel window on consoles with lean-to tiled weathering, a 3-light and a 4-light window with plank weatherings, and a cross-casement; first floor has two 5-light oriel windows which are transomed, one is supported on two large consoles and the other on carved brackets with plastered coving, and also a 2-light window with a plank weathering; one gabled dormer with 2-light window; the main entrance in the lower hall bay has a late C16 gabled timber-framed porch with Ionic half-columns on panelled pedestals; the wide entrance door is also late C16 and has all its original fittings. At the right side of the porch is a leaded rainwater pipe dated 1715 with a large decoratively-moulded lead trough at its base. Attic lights in gable ends; the east gable end has a two-storey gabled bay window with 5-light windows on both floors and 3-light side windows, all with transoms; the gable has scalloped bargeboards and a moulded pendant finial. Interior: richly moulded ceiling beams, arched doorheads and panelling throughout; first-floor ceiling beams are slightly cambered to a central ridge rib and either side the ceiling is subdivided by subsidiary ribs; the Great Parlour on the first floor of the east bay has a moulded stone fireplace with a C14 stone frieze above; frieze composed of four quatrefoils containing shields and enriched with ball flowers; it is probably re-used from the preceding house on the site; late C16 open-well staircase to west of hall has turned balusters; the newel posts are surmounted by the Wintour falcon alighting on a turret up to first floor level and by lions up to attic level. The attic storey of the east bay was used as a chapel and has an ingenious priest-hole concealed in the panelling; there is another priest-hole behind a fake stud and infill panel in the adjacent attic room above the hall. The fireplace on the ground floor of the west bay has a salt-drying cupboard and all its former cooking apparatus. The house stands on an ancient fortified site that was situated within Feckenham Forest; the inner moat of the former double-moated arrangement is retained. A survey of 1650 suggests that the house was once much larger. It was the seat of the Wintours, a Catholic family closely associated with the Gunpowder Plot conspiracy. The house retains much of its original furnishings and fittings. (VCH 3 (ii), p 408-9; BoE, p 61 & 199-200).

Listing NGR: SO9425057293

External Links

• Huddington Court at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q13586006

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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