Details
WATTON-AT-STONE WOODHALL PARK
TL 31 NW
4/208
Woodhall Park
20.10.52 (Heath Mount School)
GV I
Country house, now school. 1777-82 by T. Leverton for Sir T. Rumbold.
Altered and extended 1794 for P. Benfield. Yellow stock brick. Stone
dressings. Shallow hipped slate roofs. Neo-classical style. 2:3:2 centre
block of 2 storeys and attic with 3 bay link blocks, originally 1 now 2
storeys, to pavilion ends. Principal elevation to garden. Central Giant
Ionic engaged tetrastyle portico has rusticated ashlar ground floor with
3 round headed openings. Steps up to central French windows, flanking
tall single glazing bar sashes with dummy balustrades below sills,
anthemion and acanthus impost band. String course to bases of Ionic
columns with acanthus necking. Pulvinated frieze has a blank panel to
centre. Modillioned pediment. First floor single glazing bar sashes,
architraves with dentilled cornices, dummy balustrades. Attic 3:3 light
architraved sashes. Set back slightly are outer bays of main block.
Double plinth. Ground floor 6:9 pane glazing bar sashes, architraves
have panelled jambs with acanthus consoles to rosettes, panels in
friezes to dentilled pediments. String course near base of ground floor
windows. Plat band to first floor with sashes as to centre bays. String
course at sill level. Attic as to centre. Modillioned eaves cornice with
blocking course. Axial and cross axial stacks with moulded cappings
flanking central 3 bays. 5 bay returns on central block with link blocks
extending from rear bays. Cellar, similar fenestration with some dummy
windows, continued string course and plat band. Right link block has
plinth over cellar with small pane casements. Slightly projecting
central bay with a round headed sash, dummy balustrade. Flanking blind
niches with finely gauged bricks above which are stucco panels of arms.
String course to dentilled cornice. Outer bays have similar round headed
sashes, relieving arches, string courses, impost blocks. Later upper
storey has 3:3 pane sashes with stucco panels flanking central window,
cornice to plain parapet. Right end pavilion projects with slight
rebates at angles. Large tripartite sash, architrave with quarter
pilasters, dentilled cornice with panel in frieze, over this a stone
archivolt to a relieving arch with a radiating shell motif, impost bands
over blind niches and festooned stucco panels. Stuccoed ovals in
spandrels, cornice to pediment. Cross axial stacks flank pavilions.
Axial stacks on link blocks. Left link block was originally a screen to
service yard. Central bay has inserted tripartite French windows with a
segmental head. Right bay has a 1 storey quadrant addition in angle with
main block with a similar tripartite window, otherwise as to right. Left
pavilion is as to right. 3 bay returns on pavilions are 2 storeys.
Ground floor glazing bar sashes with gauged brick flat arched heads,
that to centre with a floating dentilled cornice. Plat band to first
floor with 3:3 light windows, cornice to parapet. Right return has steps
to a central 2/3 glazed door with a large fanlight, iron railings
enclosing cellar area. Rear or present entrance elevation, 2:3:2 on main
block. Slightly projecting centre with a mid C19 octastyle Ionic portico
on ground floor, paired columns. Central entrance behind has a 2/3
glazed door with architrave, fanlight, consoles to pediment, flanking
sashes have floating segmental pediments on consoles. First floor
architraved sashes, that to centre lugged with a relieving arch. Attic
3:3 light windows, string course to panelled frieze with guttae to
modillioned pediment. Outer bays have plain sashes, details as to front
and returns. Link blocks and pavilions extended to rear in 1794 to
project 2 bays, largely dummy windows in inner returns. 4 bay links have
plain sashes, plat band. Slightly projecting 3 bay pavilions have
rebated corners, floating cornices on consoles to centre on ground
floor, pediments. Interior: entrance into near cubic saloon, Etruscan,
possibly by P.M. Borgnis, chimneypiece with inlay, painted medallions
and arabesques, radiating shell in shallow domed ceiling. Central Great
Staircase, cantilevered stair swept round an open well in 1 flight along
3 walls to first floor gallery, bracket moulded soffits to treads,
wrought iron balustrade, moulded ramped and wreathed handrail. Plaster
a l'antique, paintings of 4 seasons and 4 continents, aedicular
doorcases, upper level has radiating fans with coffered vaults, toplit
by large domical lantern. Original entrance hall is double cube with
blind arcading, pedimented doorcases, plaster ceiling. These 3 central
rooms all have white stone paving with slate dots. In a link block is
print room, 1782 by R. Parker, blind arches flank chimneypiece, coved
ceiling, walls entirely covered with engraved paper, reproductions of
paintings with frames, ribbons, chains, busts, candelabra, piers with
vases. Small octagonal space in same link block with traceried fanlights.
Billiard room has C19 classical plasterwork ceiling, C18 chimneypieces
and a pierglass on ground floor. Subsidiary stair is tightly wound round
an open well with an oval top light. First floor study with plaster
ceiling, chimneypiece with inlay and sienna. In link block is a 1794
Gothick chamber, plasterwork with shallow domed ceiling, segmental
vaults, 4 centred arched chimneypiece all with cusped interlacing
tracery. The grounds to Woodhall Park were landscaped by W. Malcolm,
Royal Nurseryman, c.1780. (VCH 1912: Country Life 31/7 and 7/2/25,
11/4/25, 10/9/48: C. Hussey, English Country House: Mid Georgian, 1955:
Pevsner 1977).
Listing NGR: TL3164518896
