Details
CHIPPENHAM WITHOUT SHELDON
ST 87 SE
5/227 Sheldon Manor
20.12.60
GV I
Manor House, c1300, C15, c1660, c1710 and 1911. Rubble stone with
stone-tiled roofs. Two-and-a-half storeys. South front: 2
storey c1300 porch with coped gable capped by early C18 pedimented
sundial. One first floor 2-light window with cusped Y-tracery.
Ground floor angle buttresses with one set-off and saddleback
coping. Double-chamfer pointed archway. Quadripartite vault
with heavy chamfered ribs springing from angle shafts with moulded
caps. Double chamfer pointed inner doorway with oak door in
moulded frame, possibly C15, reused. On west side, 2-light
window, trefoil heads and deep inner reveal. Single light above.
Possibly built 1282 for Gascelyn family. Main house behind
rebuilt after 1659 for W.Forster apart from east range, possibly
C15, the south end probably the 'chamber east of the hall' built
1431 for T. Hille, tenant of Hungerford family. South gable east
of porch, coped with tiny attic light, 2-light first floor window
with cusped heads and plain chamfered 3-light ground floor window.
East side of this range refenestrated 1911. One side wall stack
with 2 diagonal shafts, ridge stack with 2 shafts and north end
stack. Main c1660 range L-plan with rear north gabled stair
tower, south front gable and gable ends to west and east, the rear
angle of L in filled with paired north gables probably after 1711
for W. Norris. Massive triple-shaft rear wall stack to main
range. South front, moulded coping to gable, 3-light ovolo-
moulded attic window with hoodmould and 3 window range of mullion
and transom windows to main floors with continuous dripmoulds
stepped up over outer 2 windows to form symmetrical gable
composition. Outer 4 windows are recessed cyma-moulded, inner 2
windows are ovolo-moulded. West gable end has 3-light ovolo attic
window and 2 windows to each main floor, one blank, one blocked
mullion and transom window to first floor, one blank, one C20
mullion and transom window to ground floor, cyma-mouldings.
Dripcourse over first floor and dripcourse stepped up as hoodmould
over ground floor. Early c18 paired north gables have first floor
west side mullion and transom window with continuous dripmould.
Coped north gables and ashlar corniced end wall stack to right
gable. Flush quoins. First floor cyma-moulded mullion and
transom windows with hoodmoulds, ground floor ovolo-moulded 2-light
windows with hoodmoulds. Set back to left is c1660 stair gable
with, moulded coping, 2-light attic ovolo-moulded window, 3-light
first floor ovolo-moulded window and 3-light landing level mullion
and transom ovolo-moulded window, all with hoodmoulds. To left,
projecting, north end of C15 range and beyond at north east angle
of house 1911 2-storey kitchen wing with broad dormer gable to
north and south and triple east end diagonal stack. Leaded lights
throughout.
Interior: c1300 porch has arched-braced coupled-rafter roof to
first floor room. c1660 main range has fine open well staircase
with rusticated closed string, newels with openwork finials and
pendants and flat balusters with Ionic type capitals. Drawing
room has introduced panelling and Tudor-arched fireplace. First
floor west room has introduced early C18 fielded panelling, shell
corner cupboard and original bolection moulded fireplace. C15
east range has ground floor south room with introduced Tudor-arched
fireplace and linen-fold panelled door. Dining-room with massive
beams and introduced linen-fold panelling and Tudor-arched
fireplace. North end room has large original timber lintel
fireplace and massive centre beam. First floor, south end,
library with 3-bay arched-braced collar truss roof with
windbracing, partly 1911. Introduced Tudor-arched fireplace.
Room to north has Tudor-arched fireplace. North end room has
bolection moulded fireplace c1700. (E. Gibbs: Sheldon Manor
1982; Country--Life: 8.11.1913.)
Listing NGR: ST8865874149
