History

Built 1903-5 for Sir Courtenay Mansel by Arnold Mitchell, architect of London, replacing a house destroyed by fire in 1902. Of the original design, only the service wing and part of the main house were completed.

Exterior

A Tudor-Gothic style country house comprising a double-depth 1- and 2-storey block incorporating a 3-storey entrance tower, at right angles to which is a 1½ storey service wing, giving an overall L-shaped plan. (Other principal rooms, not built but incorporating a great hall, drawing room and library, were to have been sited to the L of the entrance tower.) Walls are rock-faced stone with Bath stone dressings, and with red-tile roofs. Windows have stone mullions. The 2-bay entrance tower has a doorway to the L, which has a Tudor arch with continuous mouldings, and a stepped surround with low-relief foliage to the spandrels and coat of arms above. To its R is a 3-light window to a lavatory. The second storey has 3-light window L and 2-light to the R, and similar 2-light windows are in the upper storey. An asymmetrical accent is provided by a higher corbelled polygonal corner turret to the L in the upper storey. The parapet is above a corbel table. To the R of the entrance tower is the single-storey billiard room, with 3 cross windows.

The L (S) wall of the entrance tower has a 2-light window in each storey, to the L of which is a stub wall, and then 3-light, 4-light and 2-light windows in what was originally intended to be an internal wall. Further L is the side wall of the dining room, which has similar mullioned windows and the segmental head of an intended doorway. The rear (W) gabled elevation of the dining room is 2½ storey. The dining room is lit by a 3-light window flanked by 2-light windows, all with double transoms. Above it is a 7-light transomed window and 2-light window in the attic. The short N return elevation has a 3-light window with double transom lighting the dining room, above which is a stone eaves stack with 4 twisted stone shafts. Set back to the L of the dining room is a 4-light transomed canted bay window, with 4-light window above. To their L is a small single-light window. The return (N) elevation has 4-light windows in each storey, L of which are 3-light transomed stair windows, above stone steps to a boarded cellar door under a segmental head. Further L are mullioned windows and panelled doors to the service rooms.

The service wing faces the entrance court to the S. This 4-window front has 2-, 3- and 4-light mullioned windows and two 2-light half dormers under gables. There are 2 stacks, one in stone with a pair of diagonally set shafts, the other rebuilt in brick. At the E end is a single-storey return now housing a garage.

Interior

The entrance porch has a diaper floor and segmental ribbed tunnel vault. Panelled double doors lead into a vestibule with similar floor and vault to the porch, as well as wood panelling to the walls, and a fireplace with tiled surround. A long corridor gives access to the principal rooms on either side of it. The dining room retains panelled walls, fireplace with marble surround, and plaster ceiling with vine trails in low relief. The billiard room has a large segmental-arched stone fireplace and is top-lit by a rectangular lantern. A relatively simple open-well stair at the end of the corridor has plain balusters and moulded newel. Doorways have shouldered surrounds with panelled doors. In the service wing are similar doorway surrounds, and a plainer stair.

Reasons for Listing

Listed for its architectural interest as a substantial portion of an ambitious but uncompleted Edwardian country house.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Wikidata Q29504425

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)
• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of Historic Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
• 
  Oxfordshire: North and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Renovating Old Houses: Bringing New Life to Vintage Homes (For Pros By Pros)
• 
  Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Hampshire: South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)