Details
ST 56 SE CHEW MAGNA C.P. BATTLE LANE (west side)
3/17 The Manor House (The Sacred
21.9.60 Heart Convent High School)
G.V.
II*
House, now school. Built for Sir Richard Vickris, 1656, incorporating earlier
building including tower said to date from late C15/early C16, with many later
alterations, largely rebuilt from 1864 by John Norton, with C16 and C17 internal
features incorporated from other buildings, some C20 alterations. Coursed,
squared sandstone rubble and freestone with limestone dressings, plain tiled roofs
with raised coped verges. Irregular plan, asymmetrical Tudor Gothic style with
French "Chateau" style features. East front of 3½ storeys and 5 bays, embattled
tower to left with carved blind window with hood mould at first floor, 2-light
trefoil-headed window with hood mould at 2nd floor, similar 3-light window with
Perpendicular tracery at 3rd floor, cornice with gargoyles; to right, polygonal
corbelled tourelle with single trefoil-headed lights at first and 2nd floor,
corbelled shafts with pinnacles at angles, sharply pointed steeple roof; central
porch with 2-storey oriel over has wide 4-centred arched doorway, oriel has cross
window with trefoil heads and single light to each side at ground and first floor
level, frieze with shields between storeys, string courses with gargoyles,
embattled oriel, gable set back above with lancet and finial; bay to left of
centre has 2 similar windows at ground and first floor all trefoil-headed, bay to
right has 4-light and single light window at ground floor, two 2-light at first
floor, 2nd floor has one 3-light window to left and two 2-light to right with
pointed arches, stepped gable to each side with lancet and finial, plain string
course above ground floor windows, string courses with masks at cills and lintels
of 2nd floor windows. Left return of 4 bays has gable end to left with canted
bay through 2 storeys with diagonal buttresses and pinnacles, 3-light window to
ground floor centre, with 2-light window to each side, all trefoil headed, 3-light
Perpendicular style window at first floor with blind stone tracery on apron,
similar 2-light window to each side with Y-tracery, embattled parapet; 2 central
bays broken forward each with mullion and transom window at ground and first
floor, frieze with shields between storeys, parapet pierced with quatrefoils and
gable above each bay with lancet; tower to right has pointed arched door with
side lights, 2-light window at first floor, sundial at 2nd floor and 3-light
Perpendicular style window at 3rd floor, stair turret to left with lancets;
collar windows to 3 bays to left, string courses at cills and lintels with
gargoyles at first floor lintel level. Right return in unsquared rubble has
4-centred arched door with external steps, C20 single light and stone chamfered
cross window to right, 6-light mullion and transom window at first floor, cross
window at 2nd floor, battlements; bay broken forward to right has 2-light cellar
window, cross window at ground and first floor; to right, circular corner tower
with rubble masonry of earlier appearance, with later high steeple roof on
corbelled eaves. Rear has 2 bays to right with embattled parapet, 4-centred
arched opening with double glazed doors, 2-light trefoil-headed window to left,
2-light window with chamfered mullion at first floor left, cross window with
trefoil heads to right; wide gabled wing to left with 10-light mullion and
transom window with relieving arch and lancet; limestone ridge stack with
quatrefoils on parapet. Interior: early C17 open well staircase with splat
balusters, wide handrail and lion-finials; fine quality oak panelling in the
great hall, the banquet hall and the west drawing room, fireplace in great hall
dated 1656 with carved overmantel, Tudor style fireplace in front right room dated
1864. Rest of interior not accessible at time of survey (December 1984).
(Sources: Pevsner, N. : Buildings of England : North Somerset and Bristol 1958).
Listing NGR: ST5708263274
