Description

SP 61 SE DORTON

6/70 Ashfold School (Dorton House)
(formerly listed as Royal
School for the Blind)
25.10.51

GV I

Mansion, now school. Early C17, dated 1626 on staircase soffit, altered
1784. Built for Sir John Dormer. Red brick, moulded ashlar plinth,
ashlar quoins and first floor band course, brick parapet with moulded stone
string below and stone coping. Tiled roofs, brick chimneys with rows of
octagonal shafts. U-plan with central range of 5 bays, gabled side
wings of 4 bays and square projections in inner angles. Another short
wing to rear. 2 storeys, basement and attic, the central range a little
taller than remainder. On the E. front C17 moulded stone windows have
had mullions and transoms removed so as to accommodate late C18 sashes.
Central range now has tripartite sashes in altered openings, those to
first floor in wooden Venetian window frames with minimal Doric
pilasters. Central upper window has single arched sash in matching
wooden frame with heraldic stone tablet in parapet above. Front gables
of side wings have similar Venetian windows to first floor and oval
windows in moulded stone frames to attic. Paired sashes to central
bays of side wings, one in right wing altered to half-glazed door.
Moulded stone mullion windows to basement, 4-light in central range,
2-light to sides. Central range also has C20 hipped dormers. Central
C20 door in restored stone arch with late C18 pedimented Doric porch.
N. front has 5 widebays, the outer slightly advanced with canted bay
windows, the centre bay with square projection. Original fenestration
with moulded stone mullions and transoms, the ground floor windows double
transomed, each window in the form of a paired cross casement. Irregularly
gabled W. front with rectangular oriel window to left, C20 central porch
and small C20 extension in angle with rear wing to right. Long S. front,
also irregular, has central porch with C17 stone arches, 2 semi-circular,
one 4-centred with carved spandrels. Interior: C17 panelling in central
screens passage. Hall has very fine early C17 panelled screen with Ionic
pilasters, carved frieze and elaborate strapwork crests. Hall also has
C17 panelling to lower walls, and moulded stone fireplace with 4-centred
arch and plaster cartouche overmantel. Passage to rear of central wing
and door to N.W. room have semi-circular stone arches with scrolled keyblocks
and ornamental coffering to soffits. Fine staircase in N. wing has
turned balusters, moulded handrail, stop-chamfered newels with moulded
finials and pendants, and entrance screen with 2 arches on Ionic columns.
Elaborate C17 plaster ceiling. Similar ceilings in ground floor room
in N. wing and first floor rooms in central range. One of the latter,
probably the withdrawing room also has C17 panelling and good wooden
fireplace with panelled overmantel and strapwork crests. Former long
gallery in N. wing has plain vaulted plaster ceiling. C17 back staircase
with moulded square balusters and modillion handrail; another C17
winder stair with splat balusters in S. wing.
RCHM I p. 132-5 Mon.2.2

Listing NGR: SP6791713894

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Dorton House, Buckinghamshire at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q5299020

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

• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Leeds, Bradford and the North (Pevsner Architectural Guides / Buildings of England)
• 
  This Old House: Restoring, Rehabilitating, and Renovating an Older House
• 
  Gloucestershire 2: The Vale and The Forest of Dean: Vale and Forest of Dean Pt. 2 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Renovating Old Houses: Bringing New Life to Vintage Homes (For Pros By Pros)
• 
  Setting up a Listed Building Heritage Partnership Agreement: Historic England Advice Note 5
• 
  Cambridgeshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)