Cold Overton Hall and Adjoining Garden Walls

Details

SK 81 SW KNOSSINGTON MAIN STREET

Cold Overton (west side) 11/102 Cold Overton Hall and adjoining 14.7.53 garden walls.

G.V. I

Country house. Built c,1664 by John St.John. Small additions 1809 and 1828. Extensive additions and internal redecoration by Lanchester & Rickards and A. Blunt, 1914, mostly demolished c.1950. Coursed and square ironstone with limestone dressings and hipped Swithland slate roofs. Moulded plinth and lintel band, plain first and second floor bands, ashlar quoins. 3 ridge and single lateral coped stone stacks. 3 storeys plus attics, 5 bays. West garden front has projecting pedimented 3 bay centre with 2 storey flat roofed porch projecting beyond. Keystoned moulded round headed doorway with flanking Tuscan columns on diamond studded pedestals, flanked by 2 cross casements on each side. Above, the porch has a double cross casement, flanked by 2 cross casements on each side. Above, 5 mullioned 2 light casements, the central one blocked. All these casements have moulded architraves, cavetto moulded mullions, and leaded glazing. South side has 4 cross casements and above, 4 similar casements. Above again, 4 two light mullioned casements. These casements have cavetto moulded mullions and leaded glazing. East entrance front has single flanking hipped wings, that to left larger and with datestone inscribed 'EFT 1828'. Centre has to left, moulded keystoned round headed doorway and to its right a small casement and 2 mullioned casements. Beyond, each wing has a cross casement. Above, centre has to left, 3 stepped stair lights and to their right a cross casement. Beyond, each wing has a mullioned casement. Above again, the centre has 3 mullioned casements, the central one smaller. Beyond, each wing has a mullioned casement. Return angle to left has 2 blocked casements to the second floor. Return angle to right has a mullioned casement to the first floor and above it, a blocked casement. North side has a slightly off-centre mid C20 flat roofed porch and panelled door with overlight, flanked by single chamfered casements. Beyond to left, a mullioned casement and beyond to right, a cross casement. Above, a central cross casement, flanked by single blocked openings. Above again, 3 two light mullioned casements, that to the right blocked. Above again, a central flat roofed dormer. North west corner has flat roofed service room, 1809, with a cross casement to south. Interior has outstanding C17 3 storey dogleg staircase with square well, panelled square balusters with pierced square finials and drops, square Ionic balusters and moulded handrail. At the foot, exceedingly rare contemporary dog gate with square Ionic balusters and crest. Hall, now dining room, has C17 small panelled wainscotting and ashlar fireplace with lintel carried on Doric columns. Panelled overmantel with 2 round-headed panels flanked by single columns, carrying a dentillated cornice. Elaborate banded patterned plaster ceiling, 1914, is copied from a late C16 example at Bromley by Bow. Adjoining small sitting room in Rococo style, 1914, has moulded cornice, panelled door and architrave, yellow marble fireplace and mid C18 fireback. Long gallery has small panelled wainscotting with reeded frieze and pilasters, 1599. This and the Tudor arched ashlar fireplace, inscribed 'EP AP 1599' come from a house at East Grinstead, Sussex, and were installed in 1915. Moulded and bracketed dentillated cornice. The ornate banded plaster ceiling, early C17, was brought from Bury Hall, Edmonton, Greater London, and installed in 1915. The library has its original small panelled wainscotting, a fitted bookcase and its original mid C17 ashlar fireplace with corbelled square piers carrying a large plain lintel. Panelled overmantel with strapwork decoration. Great chamber has restored panelling and ashlar fireplace with Ionic columns carrying a plain lintel. Overmantel has strapwork decoration. Panelled Little chamber has mid C17 corbelled fireplace with lintel, chip carved overmantel and lozenge boss. Early C17 fireback. Modillioned cornice, and a reproduction early C17 plaster ceiling. Blue bedroom has bolection moulded panelling, C17 corbelled fireplace with lintel, and panelled overmantel with flanking cupboard door. Other bedrooms have 4 mid C17 corbelled fireplaces with lintels and 2 late C18 Classical marble fireplaces and grates, one with relief figure panel, the other inlaid with Blue John. 2 mid C17 plank doors, a mid C17 panelled oak door, and 4 C18 2 panel doors. Principal rafter roof with a single purlin. Outside, to west, 2 mid C17 ramped coped stone garden walls, each approx. 30 M long, and each with a gateway with unusual scrolled gable with ball finials. Good quality wrought iron gates. The manor of Cold Overton was purchased in c.1620 by John St.John from William Compton, Earl of Northampton. Early in the C18 it passed to the Turner (subsequently Frewen-Turner) family and in the C19 to Earl Cowley. It was bought by James Montagu in 1912. He employed Lanchester and Rickards and A. Blunt to carry out alterations which introduced late C16 and early C17 panelling, ceilings and fireplaces from various locations.

Listing NGR: SK8098810088

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

189859

Legacy System:

LBS

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