Capesthorne Hall and Garden Wall Surrounding Entrance Court

Details

SIDDINGTON C.P. CAPESTHORNE PARK SJ 87 SW

6/81 Capesthorne Hall and garden wall surrounding entrance court. 14 4 57

GV II*

Country house. 1719, 1837-9 and 1862 - c1868. By William Smith of Wergs, Edward Blore and Anthony Salvin. The first building of the house had a central Palladian body with attached wings. These were encased on the entrance front by Blore. A fire in 1861 destroyed the central portion but left the wings untouched. Salvin rebuilt the centre retaining some of Blore's features. Red Flemish bond brick with ashlar dressings and slate roof. Three-storeyed central block with cellars. Two storey blocks to sides. Entrance front: 7 central bays. Basement area, above which is a raised ashlar colonnade supported on segmental arches. This colonnade survives from Blore's building and has Tuscan columns with raised circular panels to spandrels and square diamond rustication to the keystones. The rest of the central portion is by Salvin and has a central three-light window with two mullions and two transoms with three windows to either side of two lights with mullion and two transoms. First floor windows in similar arrangement. Cornice above which are a central four light mullioned window with three-light similar windows to each side set in shaped gables with stone copings and finials and heraldic panels to their apexes, the central one larger and projecting. Central platform to roof with stone parapet. To either side of this central feature are slightly projecting three-storey wings of one central bay with lateral 4-storey square turrets, the left hand one of which is by Blore and survived the fire of 1861. Canted two-storey central bay windows. Pierced stone parapets above bay windows and 3-light mullioned windows to second floor with shaped gables with pierced ogee finials and stone copings. The lateral turrets have string courses between floors, single lights and ogee caps with finials. All the windows here, as elsewhere on the house, have ashlar surrounds. To either side are projecting service wings. Courtyard facades similar having two storey semi-circular arches with stone surrounds joining them to the house, that to left blocked, that to right forming a porte cochere. Each inner face is of 7 symmetrically disposed bays with double ½ glazed doors set in a slightly projecting central bay with fanlight over. Consoles to either side supporting oriel windows of 2 lights to first floor. Shaped gable above with single-light windows and stone coping. To either side are three ground floor sash windows of 3 x 5 panes with cavetto-moulded lintels. First floor windows of 3 x 3 sash panes with alternating pedimental and segmental heads and shaped aprons. To the right of the right-hand block these surrounds have been replaced with cement wedge lintels without aprons. Outer facing fronts of these two blocks are essentially similar to the inner faces. Save that the end bays project slightly and have 3-light windows to the ground floor and 2-light windows to the first floor with shaped gables above. Beyond these are two service court arches projecting and joined to the house by pieces of blind walling. Central semi-circular arches of 2 storeys height with pierced stone parapet above and heraldic panel to centre. Projecting wings to either side, each having 2-light windows to ground floor and 2-light windows to the first floor. The ground slopes to the left allowing for a third basement storey with similar fenestration to the ground floor. To the left of this left hand wing is a row of gardener's cottages of C18 or early C19. Interior: Entrance Hall (By Blore): panelled ceiling with pendants. Stained glass to bay window arranged by Willement. Fireplace of c1887 incorporating male and female terms formerly on the reading desk in the Chapel of the Holy Trinity (q.v.). Sculpture Gallery (By Blore): Arched flat-backed niches to sides of corridor with panelled ceiling. Saloon (By Salvin): Panelled ceiling and large fireplace with carved overmantel in early Renaissance style. Drawing Room (By Salvin): Panelled ceiling with pendants and rich floral frieze. State Dining Room (By Salvin): Panelled ceiling with pendants, wooden panelling to dado line. Large white and variegate marble fireplace of early Renaissance form. Staircase hall (By Salvin): Divided from the sculpture gallery by three semi-circular archways. Stairs have wrought iron balustrade with anthemions. Similar arcade to first floor landings with blind arches to the wall and three arched windows to external wall. Panelled ceiling with scrafitto moulding. Library (By Salvin): imitation Jacobean panelling with Jacobean fireplace brought from Marton Hall. Panelled ceiling with diamond motifs. Study (By Salvin): Panelled ceiling with circular central motif. Private Dining Room (By Salvin): C19 marble fireplace of C18 form. Ground floor bedroom (By Salvin): Ceiling with octagonal coffers and Victorian-baroque fireplace. Joined to the inner corners of the Service arch projections and extending forward and across before the main facade is a low brick wall of c.3 feet in height of Red English garden wall bond brick with a chamfered and rusticated stone coping. Square stone piers to right and left of centre with arched niches to all sides and recessed square piers above with domed cap and felons' heads as finials. Pierced stone walling to either side leading to central square stone gate piers with pierced ogee finials above.

The Capesthorne estate has descended from the time of the conquest through marriage from the de Capesthornes to the Wards and from them to the Davenports.

Sources: Lenette Bromley-Davenport - Guide to Capesthorne Hall, 1984 Lenette Bromley-Davenport - The History of Capesthorne, Cheshire, revised edition, 1974 Nikolaus Pevsner and Edward Hubbard - The Buildings of England: Cheshire, 1971

Listing NGR: SJ8404072768

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

59120

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Pevsner, N, Hubbard, E, The Buildings of England: Cheshire, (1971)
Bromley Davenport, L, Guide to Capesthorne Hall, (1984)
Bromley Davenport, L, The History of Capesthorne Cheshire, (1974)

End of official list entry

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