Description

CHARMINSTER
FORSTON
SY 69 NE

3/23 Forston House and
attached terrace
26.1.56 walls to west

- II*

Large house in grounds. Early C18, built by Robert Browne of Frampton.
Brick walls in Flemish bond with ashlar dressings, of quoins and plat
bands. Slate roofs with parallel ridges, masked by the attic storey. Brick
stacks with stone cornices, placed centrally on parallel ridges. C18,
2-room by 2-room cube plan with central hall and staircase from west to
east. West elevation: 2 storeys and an attic storey, with ashlar plinths,
strings, parapet coping and flush quoins. Parapet wall screens the attics,
but to each side it sweeps down in a bold curve to a little above eaves
level where it is surmounted by decorative vases. 5 windows, and 3 windows
to attic storey. Double hung sashes with glazing bars have plain stone
architraves. Central doorway has been remodelled and provided with a C20
architrave and reset early C18 wooden canopy on carved console brackets.
Door with bottom panel, and remainder 12 lights with glazing bars. East
elevation, lower storey is concealed by later additions, but otherwise is
similar in design to west front. North and south elevations of 2 storeys, 4
windows, uniform sashes. South front has a moulded stone eaves cornice
which returns. North side of house concealed by a C20 wing, the north front
of which has a curvilinear gable similar in style to that of west front.
Reset over the C20 doorway is a stone pediment on console brackets with
cartouche in trio tympanum carved with the arms of Browne. Pediment is of
the early C18 and may have been transferred from the west front. Interior:
any of the rooms are panelled, some with original bolection-moulded
panelling with panelled dados and moulded dado-rails. The oak staircase has
been extensively repaired; it has turned and moulded newels and balusters
and a moulded handrail. The attached terrace to the west of the house has
low ashlar walls with flat copings and pedestal piers supporting C18 urns.
(RCHM Dorset III p69(6))

Listing NGR: SY6658195742

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17541922

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

• 
  Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)
• 
  Worcestershire Revised Edition (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Drawing up a Local Listed Building Consent Order: Historic England Advice Note 6
• 
  Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy
• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)