Description

SU 42 SW HURSLEY CRANBURY PARK

7/21 Cranbury House

GV I

Large country house 1790 by G Dance Jnr. for Lady Dance-Holland, altered
internally 1830 by J B Papworth, extended mid-C19, reduced 1960. Red brick
with stone and stucco dressings, slate roof behind parapet. L-shaped house
with courtyard formed between wings by service buildings. S entrance front
2 storey, 7 bay, having 3 bay centre and in front mid-C19 deep Corinthian
porte-cochére, under, door in stone architrave with wreathed frieze and
pediment. Flanking bays have large 2/3 height arched opening with rustica-
ted head and solid tympanum with below large 12-pane sash and columns set
each side in opening. In the tympana and high in centre relief roundels of
sculptures. Flanking these bays and dividing outer bays giant pilasters,
with Venetian windows in outer bays. Above cornice in centre is raised
panel with balustraded parapet each side and urns. Outer bays have urns
on plinth and outside balustraded parapet. E front 3 storey, 13 bay with
similar giant pilasters, sashes in rendered architraves and balustraded
parapet. Interior is exuberent Dance. Behind door is small lobby with
entrance to hall on right. Hall rises to full height with coffered tunnel
vaults. At far end of hall 2 pairs of scagliola columns set lengthways,
corresponding to those set in window opening on exterior. Behind columns is
an exedra lit by circular skylight. To its right is staircase. To left is
passage with C20 tented china closet off, leading to another exedra with cir-
cular skylight, columns in all corners and apses each side. Behind this is
recess containing C18 organ in Chippendale casing. To front ballroom, the
best feature. It lies behind the other grand window and again its scagliola
columns line up with those in window. Ballroom has its own large exedras to
left and right and in the square centre a fine groin-vault. To right of
exedra off entrance hall, staircase hall of c1860 with to right library c1850
by Papworth, in centre of E facade and behind dining-room of 1860s at far end
of E facade. In corner between 2 facades, off library is Tent Boom c1830 by
Papworth with tented silk ceiling in French Empire style. Between this room
and the entrance hall is Drawing Boom with Dance decoration. Country Life;
Vol. CXXX; p944-7, 1058-1061, 1116-1119. Buildings of England, Hampshire;
Pevsner; p183-4.

Listing NGR: SU4474222715

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17528658

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

• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair by Hunt. Roger ( 2008 ) Hardcover
• 
  County Durham (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England) by Elizabeth Williamson Nikolaus Pevsner(1983-03-11)
• 
  Somerset: South and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Listed Buildings and Other Heritage Assets
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990: Updated version
• 
  Cambridgeshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)