Description

SP77SW SP7173 COTTESBROOKE

4/121 14/121 Cottesbrooke Hall
02/11/54 (Formerly listed as
Cottesbrooke Hall and Bridge)

GV I

Country House, c.1702-13. Architect unknown but reputed to be Francis Smith
of Warwick with extensions by Robert Mitchell c1770-95. Brick with ashlar
dressings, with lead and slate roofs. Double pile symmetrical house with
attached pavilions, 2 storeys with basement and attic.
South front, house of 7 window range divided 2:3:2 by giant pilasters with
Corinthian capitals supporting entablature with pulvinated frieze and modillion
cornice breaking forward above the capitals of each pilaster. Above the
cornice is a parapet of alternating plain and balustraded panels with urns
above the pilasters. Central doorcase with attached pillars supporting
entablature and scroll pedement decorated with florets and foliage. The
glazed double door is set in a finely moulded stone architrave. Tall 15
paned sash window with moulded stone surrounds. The shallow pitched roof is
not visible. Brick stacks symmetrically above pilasters. Central lead
spirelet with weathervane. The bowed ends of the north front are visible
projecting to either side of the south front. The flanking pavilions are
linked by quadrants of 7-bays separated by diminative Ionic pilasters. The
central bay of each quadrant has a shallow stone niche with acanthus leaves
springing from the keystone. Each pavilion is single storey with basement
and attic. South elevations: Central windows with moulded stone architraves
and flanking rusticated pilasters supporting a pediment which is carried above
eaves level. Hipped roofs with round-headed dormers. The elevations facing
the forecourt are similar with central Tuscan entrances. North front: Similar
with additional flanking bays 1795 by Robert Mitchell. Central entrance and
steps added in 1937. Each pilaster has a separate entablature.
The east and west fronts are dominated by the large bows added by Mitchell in
1795 to terminate the extension to the north front these are in a neo-classical
style. Interior: Entrance hall, centre of north front; moulded cornice with
early roccoco ceiling of 1750. Dining room to left of entrance; moulded wood
doorcases, fireplace with freestanding columns of veined brown jasper. Adam
style ceiling of wreathed laurel and foliage by Mitchell. Drawing room to
right of entrance; marble fireplace, ceiling of interlacing patterns
incorporating urns and foliage with similar motifs in cornice; probably by
Mitchell. Central spine corridor has arcaded ceiling with roundel decoration.
Main staircase: Early C18 between north and south fronts has black
Northamptonshire marble treads with fine wrought iron balustrade by William
Marshall. Roccoco wall panel decoration of 1760 incorporating urns with eagle
and lion in main first-floor panels, forge arch-headed window at half
landing. Pine room: originally the entrance hall, contains original bolection
moulding panelling. Roccoco ceiling of 1750. Library to right of pine room
has screen with columns at south end and fireplace with Roccoco overmantel
re-set from elsewhere in 1937. First-floor: Empress suite of 2 rooms, south
front both with marble fireplaces the right having Wedgewood style insets.
North front, east room has Adam style fireplace and frieze. West room has
marble fireplace with brown reeded inlay. The Ballroom, in the west
pavilion was formed from kitchens in 1937 has a chimney piece from Woburn
Abbey. The study to the left of ballroom has C17 panelling from Pytchley Old
Hall. Garden features with lead and stone urns attached to south front. C18
walls with gatepiers attached to south front of pavilions and to rear of west
pavilion and offices at rear of west quadrant. The house was remodelled by
Lord Wellesley in 1937-38 and the main entrance changed from the south to the
north front.
(Buildings of England : Northamptonshire p.163)

Listing NGR: SP7110874001

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Cottesbrooke Hall at Wikipedia
• Cottesbrooke Hall official website
• Wikidata Q5175600

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

• 
  Yorkshire: York and the East Riding (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  [(Cumberland and Westmorland)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1967)
• 
  This Old House: Restoring, Rehabilitating, and Renovating an Older House
• 
  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Cornwall (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Liverpool: Pevsner City Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)