Overbury Court

Details

OVERBURY CP - SO 9437 - 9537 9/118 13/2B Overbury Court 30-7-59 GV II*

Country house. Circa c1739, minor alterations in 1887 and major alterations 1897-1900 by Richard Norman Shaw, further alterations in 1909 and 1911 by Ernest Newton and in 1959 by Victor Heal; all alterations for the Martin family. Limestone ashlar with hipped Welsh slate roof behind tall parapets and large ashlar ridge stacks (probably mainly of mid- to late C19 date) with moulded cappings above either a dentilled cornice or on corbels. Two storeys, attic and cellar; the attic storey is of a darker stone and incor- porated into the parapet which rises above the prominent moulded eaves cornice. 2:3:2 bays; the central bays break forward and are surmounted by a pediment. There are chamfered end quoins up to the attic level. The windows to the two main storeys have moulded architraves with corbels beneath the jambs and moulded keyblocks (on the first floor the keyblocks meet the eaves cornice). The central first floor window has an eared architrave and ornately carved keyblock. All the windows are 18-pane sashes. The outer bays of the attic storey have square windows and the central three bays have Windows with elliptically-arched heads, imposts and moulded architraves; all have keyblocks and 2-light casements. There is a circular window within the pediment above. The central entrance has a ped- iment and entablature on engaged, unfluted Ionic columns, glazed, multi-paned double doors and a barred segmental fanlight. The left side elevation is of five bays, the windows have aprons and there is a central pedimented door with a Gibbs surround. A two-storey addition by Shaw of 2:1:2 bays adjoins the right side elevation. The windows are similar to the original part except for a tripartite sash which occupies bays 4 and 5 of the ground floor and a half- glazed door in bay 1. The central part projects and reaches above attic storey level to. house a lift shaft. It has concave corner rebates, a window on both main floors and a round-headed attic window, the moulding above which returns at impost level and continues as a string to the main parapet coping. Other additions include the present main entrance porch which projects from the centre of a two-storey rear extension. It has a parapet above a moulded cornice, a moulded plinth and concave corner rebates. The entrance has a segmental ped- iment, a moulded architrave (the mouldings returning to continue at plinth level) and panelled double doors. There is also a large porch with a moulded cornice, concave corner rebates, large round-headed archways and impost band adjoining the left side at the rear. Further additions of c1959 also include a five- bay two-storey wing surmounted by a small lantern to the rear right and a long single-storey range to the rear left which enclose a rear courtyard. Interior: there is an open well staircase to the rear of the central bays (said to be re- located) with turned balusters, a moulded and wreathed handrail and moulded brackets. Facing the staircase is a domed lobby set on round-headed arches with panelled soffits. Many original fireplaces survive including the two in the panelled room to the left side of the ground floor which are flanked by giant pilasters. (Saint, A: Richard Norman Shaw, London, 1976; Newton, W G: The Life and Work of Ernest Newton, London, 1925; BoE, p 232: HBMC Gardens Register for Hereford and Worcester).

Listing NGR: SO9566937485

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

148571

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Saint, A, Richard Norman Shaw, (1976)
Newton, W, The Work of Ernest Newton RA, (1925)
Pevsner, N, The Buildings of England: Worcestershire, (1968)

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

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