Description

TG 03 SW MELTON CONSTABLE MELTON CONSTABLE PARK

3/68 Melton Constable Hall.
30/11/51
G.V. I

Country house. Built c.1664-1670 by Sir Jacob Astley 1st Bart 1664 replacing
a house of c.1500; enclosed Park in direct male succession from 1236 until
sale by the 20th Lord Hastings in 1956. Domestic classical style introduced
from the Netherlands by the Webb-May-Wren circle, but no architect recorded.
Red brick with stone, stucco, wood and lead dressings, slated and copper roofs.
Double pile plan with extensions to east and north; 9 bay north and
south fronts 7-bay returns. North (entrance) front: stuccoed half basement,
stone dressed 2-light casements filled in. 3 centre bays broken forward,
3 outer bays recessed. Ground and first floor stone dressed windows with
stone aprons, sashes replacing casements. Pediments to ground floor central
windows of outer bays. Central doorway with 3 part raised and fielded double
doors, fanlight and segmental stone pediment on console brackets. Rusticated
stone quoins to central 3 bays and to outer bays. Ground floor stone plinth,
first floor stone platband. Richly cut wooden modillion eaves cornice with
central pediment filled with coat of arms with swags. 2 central and 2 outer
segmental and 2 outer triangular pedimented wooden dormers, sashes with glazing
bars. South front similar bay system and details except for blind boxes to
windows and stone perron stairs with wrought iron railings and central mid
C18 doorway with 3 part raised and fielded double doors and stone architrave
with fluted Ionic half-columns and pediment. West front with 2 outer bays
and 3 central bays brought forward with ground floor 3 bay Ionic portico 1757,
stone basement with balustrade between the order entablature and balustrade
above. 2 segmental pedimented dormers with large fan shaped window in valley
between roofs to light staircase. East front : 3 central ground floor bays
brought forward as a bow with 3 arched headed stone dressed windows; l'oeil
de boeuf window above, 2 3-dormers. North and south hipped roofs, 4 large
brick stacks with stone copings recessed in valley. Interior: plaster work
ceilings of c.1687 in ground floor room at south west, to former chapel and
to first floor room at north east, to main staircase. Richly cut, naturalistic
plaster work in compartment ceilings, perhaps modelled in situ. Main staircase
at west with carved strings, 2 barley sugar balusters to each riser, panelled
dado; dog-leg to first floor with isolated gallery with same details crossing
the well at attic level. Secondary staircase at north east with basement and
ground floor Corinthian column newels, arranged as newel staircase with
bolection moulded string and rectangular balusters; rising to attics with
separate dog-leg stair branching off to first floor. South range ground floor
with c.1830 details to central and south east rooms, latter with pair of green
scagliola columns. Room at south west with c.1750 fireplaces. Former chapel
on axis with staircase with mid C18 fireplace. North pile with mid C18
panelled room at east, panelled hall, room at north west with Greek Revival
detailed ceiling of c.1820 with anthemions etc. To east service wing of one
and half storeys with half basement and attics. Nine bays with central 3
bay portico. Basement 2-light casements with glazing bars, first floor and
attic sashes with glazing bars. Ionic portico with balustrade between columns,
modillion cornice and pediment with crest and motto cartouche. 2 segmental
and 2 triangular headed dormers, 4 ridge stacks. To east further 5 bay wing,
3 central bays broken forward with pediment with heraldic cartouche to answer
arrangement of south front of main block. Ground floor 5 casements, first
floor 5 sashes, 2 segmental headed dormers. Downpipes all dated 1887,
supposedly refacing wing of 1810. Further wing at east of 3 bays 1926. See
Christopher Hussey, Melton Constable Hall in Country Life 1928; 15, 22
September 1928 pp 364-370, 402-409.

Listing NGR: TG0307931925

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Melton Constable Hall at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q15979174

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

• 
  The green guide for historic buildings: how to improve the environmental performance of listed and historic buildings
• 
  Cornwall (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Georgian Style and Design for Contemporary Living
• 
  Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Buildings of England)