Description

SX 65 SW HOLBETON
5/112
29/3/60 Flete

GV I

Large country house situated in a landscaped park formerly the seat of Lord Mildmay.
The earliest part was built in C16 and substantially rebuilt circa 1620 for Sir
Charles Hele. Additions of early and late C18. Heavily remodelled in Gothic Style
in 1835 and again remodelled and extended in 1878 by R. Norman Shaw retaining the
early C17 house to the south west. Built of rock-faced coursed limestone with
granite dressings. The original C16 house to the south west is two storeyed with a
five gabled west elevation the centre projecting and with a projecting gabled dining
room wing to right (south west) thought to have originally been the great hall. The
1835 gothic style remodelling, obliterated the early and late C18 classical work. In
1878 Norman Shaw remodelled the whole house (except for the C16 south west parts),
and rebuilt the north west kitchen wing and added the tower porch on the north side
creating an enormous castellated Tudor style mansion, with asymmetrical elevations.
Three storeys, rising to four and five storey towers. The long north entrance front
has a large five-storey tower with turrets and a two-storeyed oriel over a
four-centred arch porch doorway. Niches in the side walls of the tower contain
figures. Semi-circular and splayed bays and oriels on the south and west elevations
and a four storey square tower on the south east corner. Large three storey
semi-circular bay in the south west angle. The south elevation of the kitchen wing
has a square bay on the west end, an oriel near the centre and a massive stack
between with set-offs and a cluster of circular flues. The stack is bridged over a
service passageway beneath.
Interior: Designed by Shaw but with some of the detailing by J.A. Heaton
W H Lascelles and W.R. Lethaby. Richly decorated in Jacobean style with pannelling,
Italianate plasterwork and elaborate chimneypieces. Features include a large framed
staircase, gallery with double flight of stairs at one end and a galleried music
room.
Flete was a Saxon estate, the manor being held by the Damarell family from 1066 to
Edward III.
References: Country Life Vol. 38, November 29th 1915
Andrew Saint, "Richard Norman Shaw", pages 211 to 216

Listing NGR: SX6278251382

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Flete House at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q5458842

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)
• 
  Harrow on the Hill: A photographic portrayal of listed buildings and structures (Historic Buildings Picture Guides)
• 
  Central Leinster: Kildare, Laois and Offaly (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  Development and Design of Heritage Sensitive Sites: Strategies for Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas
• 
  Gloucestershire 1: The Cotswolds: Cotswolds Pt. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability