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
