Kentisbury Grange

Details

KENTISBURY SS 64 SW 5/87 Kentisbury Grange - - II House. 1894 (datestone). Unrendered dressed slate stone rubble with ashlar dressings. Hipped slate roof with crested ridge tiles and hip finials. Moulded ashlar cornice. Stone rubble stacks at each end and axial stack, all lowered slightly in C20. Corbelled first floor lateral stacks to outer face of rear right- hand wing. Plan: off-centre entrance hall with stairhall to rear, principal room to left, 1 1/2 rooms deep, and two principal rooms to right now thrown into one. Service wing projects at right angles from rear right-hand side forming L-shaped plan; with small single storey service range and stone rubble wall to rear of main range forming small rear courtyard. 2 storeys. 4 window range of 2 pairs of 3- and 2- light mullions with 2-paned sashes. Ground floor windows are transomed with leaded glazing pattern to the upper parts of the lights and stone relieving arches over. The mullions are ovolo-moulded with large bar-stops to the base of the jambs. 6 patterned tiles below the cornice band flank the upper storey windows. Four-centred arched stone doorway with heavily moulded surround terminating in large bar stops; labelled hoodmould with central grotesque head keystone above the stepped overlight; heavy plank door with cover strips and wrought iron strap hinges, in ovolo-moulded timber surround. Slate sundial above doorway bearing 1894 date in carved ashlar pedimented surround with moulded entablature and wings. 2 small blind ovals with keystones at right end of main range flanking projecting stack which has set-offs. Interior: apart from the removal of the partition wall between the 2 right-hand rooms, the interior is unaltered and the quality of the fittings including 6 panelled doors, ½-glazed inner hall doorways with stained glass to the overlight, marble chimney-pieces, window shutters, principal dog-leg staircase with heavy square section newels surmounted by acorn finials, tapered fluted balusters with open fretwork between, moulded string and handrail and secondary servants stair in rear wing with turned balusters, is particularly high. The principal staircase has a covered panelled plasterwork ceiling above the 4 light window incorporating decorative stained glass by Born of Birmingham, the coving running into a decorative geometrical plasterwork ceiling over the stair landing. Kentisbury Grange is a fine late Victorian house of a standard rarely found in North Devon. Its odd combination of Tudor and classical details in an almost symmetrical exterior is interesting. It was built by a Mr. Openshaw, a Manchester cotton merchant and a relation of the rector of Kentisbury who founded the north aisle in Kentisbury Church (q.v.).

Listing NGR: SS6290942778

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

97063

Legacy System:

LBS

End of official list entry

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