St Giles House

ST GILES HOUSE

Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places

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Overview

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
I
List Entry Number:
1120129
Date first listed:
18-Mar-1955
List Entry Name:
St Giles House
Statutory Address:
ST GILES HOUSE

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Location

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
I
List Entry Number:
1120129
Date first listed:
18-Mar-1955
List Entry Name:
St Giles House
Statutory Address 1:
ST GILES HOUSE

The scope of legal protection for listed buildings

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

The scope of legal protection for listed buildings

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:
ST GILES HOUSE

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

District:
Dorset (Unitary Authority)
Parish:
Wimborne St. Giles
National Grid Reference:
SU 03236 11591

Details

WIMBORNE ST GILES SU 0311 ST GILES HOUSE

13/108 St Giles House 18.3.55 GV I

Country house, possibly incorporating late medieval work in the basements, main body of house begun 1651 for Sir A Ashley-Cooper, first Earl of Shaftesbury, further C17 work with some interiors possibly by John Webb (Newman and Pevsner), extensive alterations of 1740-4 by Henry Flitcroft, further work of the 1790s possibly by Soane (Newman and Pevsner), further work of 1813-20 by Thomas Cundy, alterations of 1854 by P C Hardwick. Rear wings demolished early 1970s. Brick, formerly rendered, with ashlar dressings and slate and lead roofs. Rendered C19 stacks. C17 rusticated brick quoin exposed on south front. Some C18 embattled parapets remain. Parapet and first-floor plat bands. Main front to east. Symmetrical: 2 storeys with attics and basements; 7 bay. Ashlar architraves with keystones. Sashes largely C20 replacements in the C18 style (corresponding to Flitcroft's alterations) having thick moulded glazing-bars. Central doorway with moulded ashlar architrave with keystone supporting a curvilinear broken pediment containing a blank shield. 5 pedimented dormer windows. The details of the other facades are broadly similar to those of the east front. A central open courtyard was roofed in the early C19.

Main interior features (house largely in the process of renovation to counter the effects of dry rot at time of survey, 1985): C17 work; large stone chimney piece with sways and garlands of fruit dropping from lions' mouths; ceiling with oval wreath of fruit and oak leaves with side panels; C18 work: a number of Palladian chimney pieces, enriched friezes and cornices and joinery; C19 work: central hallway with columned galleries; staircase with wrought iron balustrade; various joinery and fittings. The basements contains a C16 moulded stone doorway with depressed 4-centred head.

A house of great archaeological complexity. (RCHM, Dorset, vol V, p 94-97, no. 4. Newman, J and Pevsner, N. The Buildings of England: Dorset, 1972, p 471-2).

Listing NGR: SU0323611591

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:
107443
Legacy System:
LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Inventory of Dorset, (1975), 94-97
Pevsner, N, Newman, J, The Buildings of England: Dorset, (1972), 471-472

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

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.

Ordnance survey map of St Giles House

Map

This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 04-Jun-2026 at 11:33:16.

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© Crown copyright [and database rights] 2026. OS AC0000815036. Use of this mapping is subject to Terms and Conditions.

End of official list entry

All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.

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