Stepleton House

Details

ST 81 SE IWERNE STEPLETON

4/157 Stepleton House 14-7-55 G.V. I

Country house, early to mid C17 with extensive alterations of the late C17 to mid C18. Flanking mid C18 pavilions. Ashlar walls with hipped, stone slated roofs. Clustered, round brick stacks to rear of ridge. Plan appears originally to have been of the courtyard type with entrance probably to the east. Later the main entrance was moved to the south-front, the building reroofed and the courtyard roofed. The pavilions were added in the mid C18. 2 storeys with attics and basements. 6 bays by 5 bays. Entrance front has C18 2 bay centrepiece with rusticated ground floor and capped by pediment. An upper floor round headed niche projects into the pediment. Windows are probably late C18 or early C19 12-pane sashes in moulded stone architraves. There is a first floor weathered strong course and a moulded eaves cornice. The roof has 3 pedimented dormers, the central of which is segmental. Central panelled door under flat stone hood on scrolled brackets. The east front has a single bay pedimented centrepiece with a rusticated doorway with a flat stone hood on scrolled brackets and a round headed window with keystone,, flanked by Ionic pilasters. Flanking pavilions are best seen from the north. They are of greensand ashlar with hipped stone slate roofs behind parapets and with central brick stacks. First floor plat bands. Modillioned parapet cornice. 2 storeys, 5 bays. 12-pane sashes in moulded architraves with keystones. Some windows are false. Central, false fielded panel doors with Gibbs surrounds. The connecting passage walls have rusticated pilaster strips and panelled doors with moulded architraves and keystones. The eastern passage consists of an open Ionic loggia to the south.

Internal features (RCHM). These are mainly C18 and include carved fireplaces, doorways and panelling. Rococo plasterwork ceilings. Main staircase has stone steps with shaped soffit and moulded nosings; the scrolled wrought-iron balustrade supports a moulded and veneered wooden handrail. C17 rear stair with turned balusters and square handrails. Study contains early C17 panelling. (RCHM, Dorset, vol. III, p.133-5, no. 2. Newman, J and Pevsner, N. The Buildings of England: Dorset, 1972, p.240/1. Oswald, Arthur, Country Houses of Dorset, 1935, p.159/161.)

Listing NGR: ST8633311294

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

103247

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Inventory of Dorset, (1970), 133-135
Pevsner, N, Newman, J, The Buildings of England: Dorset, (1972), 240-241
Oswald, A, Country Houses of Dorset, (1935), 159 161

Other
Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England, Part 12 Dorset,

End of official list entry

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