Description

RODMARTON RODMARTON VILLAGE
ST 99 NW

6/148 Rodmarton Manor

4.5.52

GV I
Large country house. 1909-1926, for the Hon Claud Biddulph, by
Ernest Barnsley and supervised briefly after his death by Sidney
Barnsley. All materials locally obtained, both externally and
internally, and hand worked by local craftsmen. Mainly coursed and
dressed stone on offset plinth with flush quoins, stone slate roof
with coped gables, large grouped flues to scattered stacks, mainly
either diagonally-set squares or round and polygonal with
decorative fillets. Built partly round a large circular grassed
courtyard to the north, with a main block with canted side wings of
different lengths and a smaller courtyard service range to the
north-east, the latter now converted to flats. Mostly 2 storeys
and attic, courtyard range of single storey and attic. North front
has large central projecting gabled porch bay with depressed Tudor-
arch moulded doorway and stone monogram enclosed in raised section
of string course, long 3-light stone mullion and transom above with
2 transoms. Fenestration generally stone mullions at attic level
and mullion and transoms below, all ovolo-moulded with leaded iron
casements. Two gables flanking on each side, with polygonal bays
masking angles as building returns towards north; string course
along most of north front above first floor in twisted design,
straight offset string course along main block above ground floor.
North-west wing contains chapel with open twin-arched loggia above
to west and separate porch with hipped roof and 4 steps up, top
step curved. This wing and north-east wing slightly lower than
central block, north-east wing of 3 gabled bays having central
doorway with arched hood, flanking 2-light stone mullions as side
lights and flanking canted bays. Former service wing to east has 2
steep gables on west side, on to large grass entrance court, each
with louvred stone vent in apex and stone mullion casements below.
Courtyard side to east, mostly in rubble stone with flush quoins,
is oldest part of house and is formed by 'U'-shape south range and
straght north range, both with dormers. South range has small
glazed lantern with hipped roof and ball finial to west arm. North
range has large central gable with lantern, dovecote perches in
gable above large cambered timber lintel, and flanking open loggias
each with central wide cylindrical rubble stone column. South
front of main central block has 2 projecting end bays, similar
fenestration to north front, with 2 transoms to ground floor
windows. Throughout the building are decorative lead rainwater
pipes and hoppers with embossed animal and flower motifs and
occasionally with date and initial B, possibly the work of F.W.
Troup.
Interior is largely intact and contains all original fittings as
well as many pieces of furniture by the Barnsley brothers, Ernest
Gimson, Peter Waals and others. The house features in many books
on the Arts and Crafts movement, as well as articles in Country
Life - Vols LXIX (1931), and LXIV,(1978 - two articles by Clive
Aslet).

Listing NGR: ST9431997717

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Rodmarton Manor at Wikipedia
• Rodmarton Manor official website
• Wikidata Q7356819

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

• 
  Somerset: South and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Cambridgeshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Building Small Projects (New Best of Fine Woodworking)
• 
  Warwickshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)