Description

WHITCHURCH URBAN C.P. TARPORLEY ROAD
SJ 54 SW
(south-west side)
1/129 Hinton Hall
-
- II

Country house. Dated: "18 E 59" (rainwater head), by S. Pountney Smith
of Shrewsbury for Robert Peel Ethelston. Red brick with some blue-
brick diaperwork in gables and red sandstone ashlar dressings. Plain
tile roofs. Square plan with service wing to north-east. In a neo-
Jacobean style. 2 storeys and attic over basement with service wing
of 3 storeys and attic. Chamfered plinth, moulded string courses, coped
parapet with corner finials and coped parapeted gables with string cornices
and finials at apices. Numerous brick stacks, those to main block
consisting of grouped star-section shafts. South-east (garden) front:
1:1:1 bays with central break. 3 gables, that to centre with flanking
stacks. Double-chamfered stone cross windows. 2-light double-chamfered
stone mullioned attic windows flanking central stepped 3-light attic
window with triangular pediment to raised centre light. Central first-
floor canted oriel window with moulded base, 1-:2-:1- light mullioned
and transomed windows, and cornice to parapet, with raised centre over
carved monogram. Ground-floor square bay to left with 2-: 4-: 2-light
window, moulded cornice, and pierced parapet with circular strapwork
motif. Lower part set back to right, of one bay. North-east (entrance)
front: 3 gables central attic cross window and central first-floor
4-light stone mulioned and transomed window lighting entrance hall.
2-storey canted porch in angle to left with string courses and cornice
and pierced parapet with circular strapwork motif. First-floor window
with transom and dripstone. Round-arched doorway with a pair of panelled
doors, rusticated stone architrave with keystone and stone doorcase with
unfluted columns on pedestals and open segmental pediment. Flight of
12 grey sandstone steps with curved balustrades (partly collapsed at
time of survey - October 1986). South-west front: 3 gables, that to
centre with integral stack consisting of a pair of star-section shafts
divided by diaper brickwork. 1:2:1 bays; double-chamfered stone cross
windows. 2-light mullioned attic windows, the inner pair with dripstones
and the outer pair with triangular pediments. 2-storey canted bay in
second bay from right with 1-:3-:1- light mullioned and transomed windows,
moulded cornice and pierced parapet with circular strapwork motif.
Service range to north-east of 3 storeys and attic with 2 ridge stacks,
and 3 gables and central second-floor oriel window to south-east.
Interior in neo-Jacobean and neo-Baroque styles with well detailed
fixtures and ornament. Entrance hall: pair of half-glazed inner doors
with strapwork in semi-circular overlight and moulded architrave with
keystone. Chamfered Tudor-arched stone fireplace with panelling above.
Balcony at north-east end with neo-Jacobean balusters, square newel posts
with pierced finials, and chamfered Tudor archways in wall at each end.
Ovolo-moulded depressed archway to stair hall at south-west end. Internal
window to right consisting of 3 four-centred arched openings. Top-
lit full-height staircase hall: neo-Jacobean dog-leg staircase with closed
string, rectangular-section balusters, moulded handrail, square newel
posts with large finials and pendants, and panelled soffit. Balustrade
returned to first-floor corridor. Pairs of round arches to mezzanine,
first floor and first-floor corridor. Each pair with central Tuscan
stone column , panelled soffits and moulded architraves with keys.
Central circular openings in spandrels with keyed moulded architraves.
Top lighting provided by cross windows with segmental-headed lights. Vaulted wooden ceiling
consisting of panelled pendentives springing from carved corner brackets
and supporting 4 round arches with keys and panelled soffits, and octagonal
inner vault to lantern (boarded over at time of survey - October 1986).
South-west ground-floor room has plaster frieze and modillion cornice, with
paterae, egg and dart enrichment, and other ornament. Dining room with
moulded round-arched recess. Other rooms with moulded cornices and
marble fireplaces. Doors throughout with 8 raised and fielded panels
and moulded architraves. First-floor rooms not inspected. The architect,
Pountey Smith (1812-83), had a large local practice and was mayor of
Shrewsbury in 1873. Hinton is notable for its planning, especially
the flying staircase arrangement.

Listing NGR: SJ5342343946

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26582778

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

• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects, Supplement 2014
• 
  Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2
• 
  Old House Care and Repair
• 
  Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy
• 
  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Worcestershire Revised Edition (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)