Croft Castle

Details

CROFT CP CROFT PARK SO 46 NW

2/26 Croft Castle

8.11.56

GV I

Country house. Probably late C16 to early C17, extended late C17, remodelled c1765 by Thomas Farnolls Pritchard of Shrewsbury, and in 1913 by Walter Sarel. Coursed rubble externally, with brick to interior, and slate covered roofs. Roughly square plan with central courtyard and circular corner turrets, the centre of the east range inserted in C18. There are remnants of a late C17 range, extending north from the north-west corner (largely demolished in 1937). East (main) front: three storeys with early C20 concrete coped and crenellated parapet. Corners each have a round tower with corbelled top storey and crenellated parapet (this storey rebuilt C18). The windows are single-light with square heads and chamfered reveals. Central portion of elevation inserted in C18 flanked by two canted bay windows. Between these and corner turrets the ground and first floors each have stone cross-windows under square labels, the second floor with square-headed single-light windows under square heads. The canted bays have a pointed window on each side, each with label and Gothick sash. Second floor windows of smaller proportions. Between two bays there are three windows, two stone cross-windows flank a large C20 canted oriel with stone tile roof. The porch of 1913 has a Tudor arch under a square head and label carried across small side windows. This porch con- ceals the moulded four-centred arch of the C18 entrance. The chimney stacks are located between the windows in each side bay, each with two diamond-plan stone shafts. South front: corner turrets of three storeys, rest of two storeys with attic lit by windows in two gables, one placed at each end, the parapet is plain. Seven windows, all glazing bar sashes, the outer two and the central one with segmental heads. On the ground floor the two outer windows are tripartite. Central entrance has a moulded architrave. To left- hand corner a 2-light stone mullioned cellar window rises through the plinth. West front: corner turrets as before. Main elevation of two storeys with false second floor formed by C18 parapet with three blind 2-light stone mullioned windows under square labels. First floor has five glazing bar sashes. The outer windows on the ground floor are 2-light stone mullioned windows with square labels. The central entrance has a glazed door. Extending from left-hand corner is a brick wall with six stone cross windows, the remnants of a late C17 wing. North front: central three-storey square- plan tower, rest of two storeys. 3 + 1 + 2 windows with glazing bar sashes. Ground floor windows include stone cross windows. Cellar level has two entrances to left-hand corner (one to corner tower) with semi-elliptical heads. Base of central tower has a low segmental arch. Interior: entrance hall has a large inglenook of 1913 to the rear. The walls are lined with C17 square panelling. The east staircase to the rear of hall has an open well turned baluster and moulded handrail probably by Pritchard. Library ante room to south of hall is lit by one of the canted bays and contains four Gothick pier glasses (restored 1985). The rococo chimney piece on the west wall has been relocated; it was designed by Pritchard and executed by John Nelson and Alexander Van der Hagen (as were almost all the other chimney- pieces in the Castle). The fireplace is set with Sadler and Green Liverpool tiles. The library (south-east conrer) has Gothick painted wooden bookcases of C18. Drawing room in south front has early C18 painted panelling, enrich- ments to the window surrounds and a bolection moulded fireplace. The Blue Room to the west has C17 square panelling painted in the C18 with trompe-d'oeil gilded rosettes. The chimney-piece is by Pritchard, and has been moved from the Oak Room. The pilasters of the overmantel have motifs with musical instruments comparable with those in the Oak Room's fine rococo plaster ceiling. The Oak Room chimney-piece is of 1913 whilst the panelling of three tiers with applied mouldings is C18, originally painted. The Dining Room in the west range was remodelled in 19.13 in a Georgian style incorporating some 1760s carving. The screen columns at the north end and the elaborate Venetian window are of 1913. Between the Oak Room and the Dining Room lies the Gothick staircase by Pritchard. This has turned balusters, cluster column newels and a ramped handrail. The walls are decorated with Gothick plaster panels, with a niche in the west wall. Most of the main first floor rooms have Pritchard chimney-pieces and cornices. The most notable chimney-piece is that in the Ambassador's Room (over the entrance hall) decorated with a foliate motif within a lozenge. The White Bedroom on the south front has C17 panelling and a bolection moulded fireplace. The north bedroom has a C18 bed recess with central segmental vault. The staircase in the north-west corner has a moulded handrail over a solid C17 bolection moulded balustrade. The attics retain a number of C17 panelled doors. Croft Castle is a property in the care of the National Trust. (BoE, p 109; RCHM 3, pp 35-6; National Trust Guidebook 1986; Burke's and Saviles Guide To Country Houses, Volume II, Herefordshire, Shropshire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire, 1980, pp 18-19).

Listing NGR: SO4494065431

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

149429

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Guide to Croft Castle, (1986)
Inventory of Herefordshire III North West, (1934), 35 36
Pevsner, N, The Buildings of England: Herefordshire, (1963), 109
Reid, P, Burkes and Savills Guide to Country Houses in Herefordshire Shropshire Warwickshire Worcestershire, Vol. 2, (1980), 18 19

Other
Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England, Part 20 Hereford and Worcester,

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