Sheringham Hall

Details

TG 14 SW,
4/115

UPPER SHERINGHAM,
Sheringham Hall

II*

Country house, 1812-19 completed 1839, by H. & J. A. Repton for Abbot Upcher,
died 1819. Gaultbrick, shallow pitched slate roof behind parapet. 5 bays,
2 storeys, double depth with service wings to north and west. Principal
facade to south: 5 bays, centre 3 bays recessed with colonnade to front of
6 Roman Doric columns, grouped 1 : 2 : 2 : 1, in antis, supporting
entablature; stone plinth, platband, moulded stone parapet to roof; large
sashes with glazing bars under flat skewback arches, the 3 behind colonade
with reeded cases, that to centre reaching the ground and having lower panels
of wood; bow windows to ground floor bays 1 and 5 under leaded half domes
to brick relieving arches, 5 tall lights with casements and horizontal glazing
bars reeded frames, small lights above and tall lights below transoms have
truncated corners; bay windows possibly of 1839 but follow illustrations
by H. Repton of 1816 in Red Book. Projecting bays 1 and 5 with hipped roofs.
Entrance Front to West: 3 bays, 2 storeys; facade and windows as south
facade; centre bay breaks forward under pediment having Upcher crest (unicorn
surrounded by 5 ostrich feathers) in stone; projecting porch to centre bay
of 2 pairs of Roman Doric columns supporting flat entablature; wide doorway
flanked by square Roman Doric pilasters; 4 panelled door with semi-circular
fanlight with glazing bars, narrow single lights with horizontal glazing
bars flank door and extend upwards to form margin lights of fanlight. East
Front: 3 bays, 2 storeys; walls and first floor windows of bays 1 and 3
as west front, 2-light casements with transoms and truncated upper and lower
panes to bays 1 and 3; centre bay projects forward with cornice to gable
under a pediment formed by an eaves level cornice to the gable, behind the
apex a thin shaft surmounted by classical scrolls, bow window to ground floor
as to bays 1 and 5 of south front, first floor above has a 3-light casement
under a segmental arch having a recessed stone panel below. Lower 3 storey
wing of 2 bays to right; double leaved door, upper part glazed, reeded
doorcase to bay 1, sashes with glazing bars under skewback arches, 2 to first
floor of 6 panes, 2 to 2nd floor of 9 panes. Rear: central tall sash window
to stair having glazing bars and semi-circular head; 6 bay 3-storey forward
service wing to right. Service wing to west: projecting forwards from
left-hand side of west front having a 3 storey link of one bay to west front:
2 storeys, 4 bays, uncoursed dark knapped flint with gault brick dressings
and platband, gault brick pilaster strips between bays 1 and 2, 3 and 4;
three blank windows to ground floor and three 6-paned sashes to first floor
bays 2 to 4; bay 1, (the former brew house now boiler house) projects forward
under a pyramidal slate roof and has Diocletian window to the middle of west
and south faces, 6 paned sashes above, blank window to first floor. Walls
of service wings facing yard to west and north of red brick. Interior: all
ground floor doors of 4 raised and fielded panels, reeded doorcases with
patera to west bays; vestibule: wall facing door has central niche flanked
by blank arches containing doors under entablatures, room to left has plaster
ceiling rose, black marble fireplace with duck's nest grate, flanking double
leaved doors; room to right has frieze cornice of roses, plaster ceiling
rose, moulded black marble fireplaces with patera, glazed door to cupboard
recess with margin lights. Room to south facing colonnaie: classical white
marble fireplace having egg and dart mouldings, downward tapering reeded
pilaster supporting a frieze of alternating urns and wreaths; plaster ceiling
frieze of trailing vine leaves and grapes, cornice of acanthus leaves, ceiling
rose of Greek acanthus leaves, reeded and curved wooden covers to shutters.
East room: large non-classical white marble fireplace, possibly c.1880,
having moulded surround with 3 panels of roses and fruit punctuating the
frieze, aperture for fire reduced by stainless steel surround inlaid with
brass, coved cornice and ceiling rose of Greek acanthus leaves. Cantilevered
curved staircase, stone steps with shaped sofits, open string with hexagonal
cast iron balusters, wreathed mahogany handrail with ebony and mother of
pearl inset above turned newel, staircase window with margin lights of etched
pale blue glass, niches in canted corners of stair wall. Landing with two
domed lights to east and west, acanthus leaf cornice frieze. The house
together with the park are said to be H. Repton's masterpiece and favourite
commission : G. Carter, P. Goode and K. Laurie Humphrey Repton : Landscape
Gardener 1752-1818 1982; Christopher Hussey, Sheringham Hall. Country
Life 31.1.57 and 7.2.57; R.W. Ketton-Cremer, Norfolk Gallery 1948.


Listing NGR: TG1336942328

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

224646

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Ketton Cremer, RW, Norfolk Gallery, (1948)
Country Life in 31 January, (1957)
Country Life in 7 February, (1957)
Carter, G, Goode, P, Laurie, K, Exhibition Catalogue in Humphrey Repton Landscape Gardener 1752-1818, (1982)

Other
Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England, Part 29 Norfolk,

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