Description

STRATFORD-UPON-AVON

SP25NW CLOPTON ROAD, Clopton
604-1/2/295 Clopton House and attached former
25/10/51 stable block, walls and gate piers
(Formerly Listed as:
CLOPTON
Clopton House)

II*

Country house and attached coach house, now flats, with walls
and piers. c1600 nucleus with north porch and bay window;
1665-70 south and east ranges; north and west wings, mostly
c1840 restoration or rebuild; 1843 coachhouse. Brick, at one
time painted or stuccoed, with ashlar and stucco dressings;
hipped tile roof with brick stacks, including 2 panelled
cross-axial stacks.
PLAN: quadrangular plan. Restoration style.
EXTERIOR: 2 storeys with attic; south facade of 7 bays with
projecting 3-bay pedimented centre. Stucco plinth and platt
band; ashlar quoins and cornice to central brick platt band;
top wood modillion cornice and pediment.
Entrance has architrave, rusticated flat arch and segmental
pediment with the Clopton arms mounted on the crest; paired
half-glazed doors. Windows to centre have ashlar surrounds
with moulded jambs and 9/6-pane sashes, narrow return windows
with similar brick surrounds and 2 windows with 12-pane sashes
to tympanum of pediment flanking the arms of Sir Edward Weston
(father-in-law to Sir John Clopton); windows to ends have
stucco surrounds, formerly brick, and 12-pane sashes, 9/6-pane
sashes to 1st floor; 2 gabled C20 dormers with 9-pane windows.
Right return similar; 7-bay range; entrance to left of centre
has brick and timber porch with embossed lead panels and
paired doors with clad with embossed lead and panel over with
raised lettering: FHH/ INSTAURAVIT/ 1904. Bowed projection to
right end has cornice and C20 pebbledash; windows with bowed
6-pane margin-light sashes. Windows with stucco surrounds and
3 dormers with moulded pediments.
North elevation has 2-storey porch with gable to each side,
rubble with timber-framed 1st floor, round-headed entrance
with panelled pilasters and archivolt with flanking terms,
return 2-light windows and 1st-floor cross-casements;
polygonal bay window to right end has pilasters, entablature
and panelled parapet, 5 single-chamfered cross-mullioned
windows; small-paned glazing; other windows with small-paned
casements with pointed lights. 2-bay return of east range to
left end; right end gable with barge-boards.
West elevation has small-paned casements and 12-pane horned
sashes; 3 lateral stacks. Courtyard has 2 stair turrets, one
with pyramidal roof and one gabled; 2-storey canted bay window
to south.
INTERIOR: south range has central ground-floor room with c1600
panelling, fireplace with moulded 4-centred arch, and C19
turned piers and overmantel incorporating some C16 elements;
window has much early C19 armorial stained glass recording
marriages of Clopton, Warde, Hodgson and Walker families; some
earlier quarries of flowers etc; plaster ceiling with
cornices; floorboards in big square panels; room to right has
overmantel pilasters set with majolica.
East range has open well stair with panelled pilasters with
C20 lamps and turned balusters; moulded plaster ceiling has
Clopton arms on displayed-eagle crest in laurel wreath; 1st
floor room has late C17 bolection-moulded panelling with dado
rail and bolection-moulded fireplace with panelled pilasters;
rich plaster entablature with swags. Staircases flanking
courtyard, one spiral with some turned balusters, one with
splat balusters. Attic room was a chapel, probably originally
for C16 recusant Catholics, recorded as having wall painting
of biblical texts in heart-shaped frame and late C17 altar
rail with heavy turned balusters.
Coachhouse has gabled south elevation with 11 round arches,
some with door pegs, Warde arms and date: 1843 to gable;
attached by short wall to house, and short wall to west has
panelled brick gatepier to end, with ashlar cornice and ball
finial.
West elevation has 2 gabled wings flanking large
segmental-headed openings with late C20 glazing, other C20
openings; clock turret with relief enrichment and wind vane.
Attached wall to north-west angle ends in gatepier with
rampant lion with cartouche. Attached archway to north with
range extending to east.
HISTORICAL NOTE: the house was the home of the Clopton family
until the C18; it is believed to have been visited by
Shakespeare and is one of several places where he is said to
have been married. The house was rented in 1605 by Ambrose
Rockwood, one of the Gunpowder Plot conspirators.
(Buildings of England: Pevsner N: Warwickshire: Harmondsworth:
1966-: 234; Information from Local Authority Conservation
Officer).

Listing NGR: SP2005256765

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Clopton House at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q5135125

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

• 
  Worcestershire Revised Edition (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Buildings of England)
• 
  Harrow on the Hill: A photographic portrayal of listed buildings and structures (Historic Buildings Picture Guides)
• 
  Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Georgian Style and Design for Contemporary Living