The Manor House (The Sacred Heart Convent High School)

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

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

32911

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Pevsner, N, The Buildings of England: North Somerset and Bristol, (1958)

End of official list entry

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