Details
SJ 3409
17/130
WESTBURY C.P.
WHITTON LANE (north west side)
Whitton Hall
29.1.52
GV
II*
Country house. Circa 1720-30, probably for Alexander Top (II) and later his son John Topp (I); restored and extended soon after 1920. Red brick with grey sandstone dressings; slate roofs. Shallow U-plan with additions to north east.
Two storeys and attic. Stone bands at ceiling levels, moulded wooden eaves cornice, and stone coped parapeted gables with moulded kneelers; large brick ridge stacks off-centre to left and right and integral brick end stacks at rear of wings, all with stone caps.
South east (entrance) front: 2:1:1:1:2 bays with projecting gabled wings; centre bay slightly projecting with open triangular pediment on flat shaped brackets against wall, and with round-arched window in tympanum which has moulded architrave with impost blocks and keystone; glazing bar sashes with exposed boxes and thick bars (except for two late C18 replacements on ground floor to left) stone cills, and gauged brick heads with triple keystones; central first floor window with moulded architrave and single horizontal-sliding glazing bar sashes in gables; central mid C18 half-glazed Gothick door with two lower raised and fielded panels and three cusped ogee-headed lights, and doorcase with lugged architrave, frieze and triangular pediment. Early C20 gabled addition set back to right is of three storeys and two bays. Left-hand return front of three bays; blind segmental-headed windows except for central first floor glazing bar sash.
North west (garden) front: slightly altered in early C20; balustraded parapet to centre; 3:1:3 bays, glazing bar sashes with C20 tiled cills and segmental heads; central bay slightly projecting with wooden balustrade to centre of parapet and door with six raised and fielded panels, moulded architrave, radial fanlight, flush keystone, and flanking narrow six-pane windows; early C20 addition to left has projecting two storey semi-circular bay with balustraded parapet. C18 lead downpipes with moulded rainwater heads.
Exceptionally well preserved early C18 interior; entrance hall: raised and fielded wainscot panelling, fireplace wall fully panelled with dado rail, moulded cornice; some reordered C17 panelling with inscribed letters within lozenges; fireplace consisting of moulded depressed-arched marble surround with raised and fielded panelled sides, imposts and moulded key, moulded architrave, and moulded dentil cornice; archway into staircase hall; door with six raised and fielded panels, fluted architrave, radial fanlight, and surround with fluted Doric pilasters and arch with moulded architrave and keystone; drawing room: raised and fielded panelling, moulded cornice, fireplace with shallow-carved frieze to moulded cornice, raised and fielded panel above, and flanking fluted Doric pilasters, each supporting a short section of entablature with triglyphs and guttae; round-arched buffet to left with keystone and shaped shelves; segmental-arched recess to right; ground floor front room to left; remodelled in late C18 (see sashes) with Neo-Classical marble fireplace; dining room (probable former kitchen): moulded cornice; large open fireplace with moulded segmental arch and moulded cornice; staircase: three flights around rectangular well with landings, open string with cut brackets, three turned balusters per tread (plain, twisted and fluted), turned newel posts, and ramped and wreathed moulded handrail with columnular bottom newel post; back staircase rising to attic: dog-leg with with winders, open string, two turned balusters per tread, and moulded ramped handrail.
First floor corridors: five segmental and round archways with panelled piers, moulded imposts and keystones; one with Y-tracery in fanlight; three bedrooms inspected: one has re-ordered C17 panelling with fluting and inscribed initials: "INRI", "SPE" and "TSM"; C18 cornice; fireplace with roll-moulded arch, an moulded cornice; one front bedroom has fireplace with lugged architrave and moulded dentil cornice; walls with cable-fluted Doric pilasters, pulvinated frieze and moulded cornice; arched recess; other front bedroom has fireplace with marble surround, lugged architrave, central key, and moulded dentil cornice; raised and fielded panel above; flanking cable-fluted pilasters without entasis, pulvinated frieze and moulded cornice; panelled window seats. Six-panelled doors (some with L-shaped hinges), internal panelled window shutters, and fireplaces with late C18 or early C19 cast iron grates throughout.
Attic: probable crucks reused as curved principals, and wall-plates or cill beams reused as purlins, probably from former house on site.
Whitton was the home of the Lingen family during the C16 and the Topp family during the C17 and C18, from which time most of the present buildings date. The house stands within the remains of a moat which can still be discerned to the south and contains some water to the east, and there is large fish pond to the south.
Several sources record the existence of a number of reused stones in a garden wall inscribed: "I U" (John and Ursula Topp),"1727", and "1731". The V.C.H. suggests they probably came from the south front "where stone dressings have been rebuilt in brick since c,1830", but this is not proven as the south front still has stone dressings. The inscribed stones were not located at time of survey (July 1985).
The house forms the centrepiece of a good small country house group including a former service block (q.v.) and stable block (q.v.) flanking the forecourt to the south, a dovecote (q.v.) and a barn (q.v.). A small probably late C18 latticed wooden chinoiserie summerhouse standing in the garden to the north was dismantled for repairs at time of survey and an C18 summerhouse on the hill opposite the house to the south was derelict at the time of survey, neither is included on this list. Whitton Hall is a complete example of a small C18 country house, especially notable for its largely unaltered interior and its outbuildings.
Listing NGR: SJ3457709099
