Boreatton Hall

Details

SJ 42 SW; 15/1

BASCHURCH C.P.,
Boreatton Hall

(formerly listed as Old Boreatton Hall)

27.05.53

II*

Country house, now reduced in size. Dated 1675 (rainwater heads) for
Rowland Hunt, Sheriff of Shropshire in 1672. Reduced in size in c.1854,
restored in 1933/4 (date on rainwater heads) and again in 1986/7. Red
brick (mixed bond) with sandstone dressings; steep-pitched hipped plain
tile roof. Present L-plan with extruded corner tower the result of the
demolition of one half of the former large U-plan house in C19. Two storeys
and attic with wooden scrolled modillion eaves cornice, moulded stone floor
band and plinth and alternating angle quoins. Wooden cross windows
throughout (some with leaded lights) have plain stone lintels in two sections.
North wing, south side: three windows on each floor with segmental eaves
dormer to right of centre. Rectangular tower projecting in angle to
right. Four storeys with stepped windows lighting stair-well. Also has
scrolled modillion eaves cornice with pyramidal slate roof surmounted
by ball finial and weathervane. C20 half-glazed door to bottom. Left
return of wing has two large early C20 cross windows on each floor, those
to ground floor cutting plinth. Two segmental eaves dormers directly above.
Central lead downpipe has representation of beast and superscription "RHF/
1675" to rainwater head. Surviving section of former centre (west) range
has three closely spaced windows to first floor with 2 below to left and centre;
lower right (former doorway) now has late C19 French casement; left and
centre bays divided by brick pilaster with stone Ionic capital and carved
rosette at lintel level of ground-floor windows. Lead downpipe to left
of left window has representation of beast and superscription "RHF/1675"
to rainwater head. Segmental eaves dormer in line with pilaster.
Right wall of wing rebuilt in C19 when remainder demolished: cross window
on first floor with segmental eaves dormer directly above and C20 French
window directly below. Rear of west range has 2 cross windows on each
floor, lower right replaced by late C20 panelled double doors, separated
by prominent stepped external stack with tall narrow round-headed recess
to top. Segmental eaves dormer directly above right window and lead
downpipe to far left with representation of beast and superscription
"RK/1813" to rainwater head. Projection of north wing to right has 2
cross windows on each floor with segmental eaves dormers above. Lead
downpipe to right has carving of beast and superscription "RK/Restored/1933"
to rainwater head. Rear of north wing has 8 slightly unevenly spaced
cross windows on first floor with third from left and second from right
bays on ground floor occupied by plank doors. Small window between second
and third bays from left on ground floor; right window cut by C20 lean-to
(not of special architectural interest). Three segmental eaves dormers with
red brick ridge stacks to left and right. Central lead downpipe has
representation of beast and superscription "RK/Restored/1934" to rainwater
head. Interior. Staircase rising in-short straightflights to top of tower
has turned balusters (symmetrical to middle),open string, moulded handrail
and added urn finials to newels. Panelled doors, chamfered ceiling beams
and corner fireplaces throughout. Several rooms on ground and first
floors have late p17 panelling, some decorated. Principal surviving
room is to former centre range on ground floor: rectangular oak panelling
with some C17 or C18 stained glass to wooden partition; C19 armorial
stained glass to windows. Attic has wide boarded oak floor boards and
a large number of exposed curved principals or 'upper crucks', several
of which appear to be reused. Barrel-vaulted stone and brick cellar
continues under lawn and marks full extent of former house. A plan and
drawing preserved in the house, which marks the principal rooms as being
in the demolished part of the house, leads to the suggestion that the
surviving section was the service part of the building. 14 hearths are re-
corded at Boreatton in 1662 and again in 1672 but these must relate to an
earlier house on the site. Some of the materials from the demolished part
of Boreatton Hall are said to have been reused in the building of nearby
Boreatton Park (not included in this list) in 1855-6.

Mrs. R.A. Brown,
Baschurch, A Brief Survey of Its History and More Interesting Features
(unpublished), pp. 66-9; Shropshire Hearth Tax Roll of 1672, Shropshire
Archaeological and Parish Register Society (1949), p. 193; Revd. J.B.
Blakeway, The Sheriffs of Shropshire (1831), p. 140; Mrs Frances Stackhouse
Acton, Castles and Old Mansions of Shropshire (1868), pp. 56-7.


Listing NGR: SJ4133322905

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

260695

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Stackhouse Acton, F, The Castles and Old Mansions of Shropshire, (1868), 56-7
Brown, R A, Baschurch A Brief Survey of its History and More Interesting Features, (), 66-9
Blakeway, Reverend J B, The Sheriffs of Shropshire, (1831)

Other
Shropshire Hearth Tax Roll of 1672, (1949)

End of official list entry

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