Description

NEVILL HOLT

SP 89 SW

6/106 Nevill Holt Hall Preparatory
School

21.7.51
GV I

Mansion, now school. C15-C19. Some C19 work by J.B. Papworth. Ashlar and
rendered stone and brick with stone dressings and Collyweston slate roof with
various moulded stone stacks. Stone coped gables and battlements. Long irregular
entrance front of mostly 2 storeys, the centre Gothic, rest in Gothic style.
Centre range of c1400 with front of c1470 is the Hall with 2 storey polygonal
bay to left. Very fine and elaborate carving with fluted shafts at the angles
surmounted by foliage capitals and heraldic beasts. Cusped and traceried
mullion and transom windows of 2-lights in 3 tiers with band of blank shields
above 2nd tier. Above window a carved frieze with corbels at angles supporting
'wild men'. Battlements. In the centre of range a 2-light mullion and transom
window and to right the large projecting 2 storey porch with low-pitch gabled
and battlemented roof. Wide doorway with Tudor arch, leaf spandrels and head
stops. Above this a large blank panel and corner windows to either side,
1-light to front and 2-light to sides. Carved panels over these and frieze
of animals continuing round and following roof line. Battlements with blank
carved panels and corner pinnacles. The ranges to left and right, though
of C15-C18 origin were refronted in C19 mainly with 2-light stone mullion
and transom windows with Tudor arched lights. On left a large 1st floor 3-light
window to original Great Chamber. On far right a later C19 2 storey polygonal
bay, in design based on Hall bay. On far left a twin-span wing projecting
forwards, gables facing, a large stack projecting from right gable. This
wing has front of similar mullion and transom windows facing left towards
road. Within this wing is King John's Tower, a probably C16 and much altered
range of brick with polygonal spiral staircase. This range may originally
have been detached. To rear of this wing another range of Cl7. 2 storeys.
A 5 bay open arcade of rounded arches and 3 4-light stone mullion and transom
windows over. To left of this a further range with c1700 front. Sash windows
and hipped roof. By the side of this a turret staircase with C19 exterior,
but, from inside, appearing to date from C16. Further ranges to left include
C19 1 storey Dining Room. Right end of entrance front adjoins Church of St.
Mary (q.v.). Inside the Great Hall are a restored upper cruck truss with arched
braces to cranked collar, early C17 oak panelling and early C17 painted stone
fireplace with fluted pilasters and frieze. In the bay window there is a cusped
arch and quatrefoils and carved bosses. The Great Chamber was remodelled c1785
(date on rainwater head outside) and has stucco ceiling decoration and 3 C19
stained glass roundels in the window. Elsewhere are C18 staircases with turned
balusters, and C17 and C18 panelling, some probably introduced C19. In room
to left of Great Hall a series of paintings of the 'Inferno' c1700, and also
a fine white marble relief of Bacchus and putti probably of same date and
possibly Italian. The roof of the wing behind the Great Chamber has arch braces
to the collars and also wind braces. The Great Hall front is thought to have
been built during the ownership of Thomas Palmer, died 1474. Nevill Holt then
passed by marriage to the Nevill family whose seat it remained to mid C19.
It became the seat of Sir Bache Cunard in later C19 when the Gothicising begun
by J.B. Papworth for Charles Nevill, 1829-48, was continued. It has been a
school since 1919. Pevsner, and V.C.H., Vol. V.

Listing NGR: SP8162193677

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17530620

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

• 
  Harrow on the Hill: A photographic portrayal of listed buildings and structures (Historic Buildings Picture Guides)
• 
  The green guide for historic buildings: how to improve the environmental performance of listed and historic buildings
• 
  Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Somerset: South and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  London 4: North: North v. 4 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)