Details
PAINSWICK
SO 81 SE
2/11 Painswick Lodge
21.10.55
GV I
Manor house. Possibly rebuilt c1400, residence of the Lords of the Manor from
1530-1800. Much modified over the centuries, much work of C16 and C17, and
wings removed in 1840; C20 restoration by Sidney Bamsley. Mostly small rubble
limestone, but some larger cut stone in early (west) wing, stone slate roofs. A
major mediaeval house with great hall and formerly a courtyard building, but now
has two wings only, to west and north; porch entry on south side of north wing
entering the hall, now ceiled. North wing two storeys, attic and part basement
returns for short section at same height to lower west wing. Various windows in
4 bays; at ground floor are three 2-light mullioned casements with hoods and
stops, all modified from former C16 4-light with arched tops rich moulded, above
is, left, a large 4-light with transom, and three 2-light with transom, all
stone mullioned but with no hoods, and four unevenly spaced 2-light hipped
dormers corresponding with first floor window positions. At ground floor, to
right of bay 3, a gabled porch with 4-centre doorway in moulded surround and
square dropped hood [3] plank door; far left to blocked doorway with moulded
surround, under hood; this may have been original screens entry, judging from
the plan. The short return, left, has a small 2-light mullioned casement above
a single and a double light with C16 arched heads under a drip course. Left of
this the lower wing is in 2 storeys with, at ground floor, two large openings
with segmental heads, formerly doorways of open ways; between them a 2-light
flush chamfer mullion casement, and to the right a C20 door; at first floor a
3-light ovolo mould casement and a 2-light C14 window with cusping. To the
south front windows mainly ovolo mould; also, between windows one and two a
buttress with two offsets. Right return of this wing has diagonal corner
buttresses with two offsets: at ground floor a 2-light C16 casement, formerly in
4 lights, with stopped hood, above is 4-light with king mullion and transom,
with hood, and to gable a 2-light ovolo mould casement with hood. North front,
facing lane, has two eaves stacks, one with offsets, and a large external gable
stack with offsets, right. A further projecting gabled units projects between
first two stacks. Various 2, 3, or 4-light casements with chamfer mould, and
one 2-light ovolo mould, in projecting gable, above 3 single lights; the right
gable stack is flanked, at ground floor level, by 2-light casements which cut
into the masonry of the stack. West front has, far left, a projecting stair
turret to hipped roof, then a 2-light casement in basket-handle head with
stopped hood and a 2-light hollow mould under a C20 four-light with transom.
Deep projecting doing dairy block with gable stack. To right a lofty 2-light
casement with cusped tracery and a small single light; at first floor a 3-light
ovolo mould mullion, in part concealed by the later dairy, and a 2-light flush
hollow mould. Two offset buttresses. To right a possible garde-robe tower with
small rectangular light beneath a pointed and cusped opening; at ground floor is
a 2-light opening cut from a single stone. Coped verge and stack. South front
of this wing has 4-light casement over a doorway, 4-light, and single light.
Interior: the house has had a complex history, with additions and demolitions,
and in the early C20 was considerably sub-divided. In 1924 Sidney Barnsley
undertook major restoration, and some of the interior detail is by him, but in
careful detail and craftsmanship so as to be not easily distinguishable from
original work. The main wing has a central hall or parlour with 8-panel
compartmental ceiling to moulded beams, a large stone fire-surround to ovolo-
mould edge, and a stone Tudor doorway; the dining room, adjoining, has C17
panelling and frieze, 4-panel compartmental ceiling, and a stone doorway with
4-centre head giving to the stone spiral stair, at the head of which is a second
similar doorway. The old lower wing contains a good chamfer surround fireplace
to very flat 4-centre head; over the early pointed openings in the courtyard
wall are 3 heavy stone corbels. First floor main bedroom has complete C17
panelling for two-thirds height. Roof not inspected. A house with a complex
history of ownership and development, which seems to have been a Lodge to the
Deer Park. (St Claire Baddeley, History of Painswick, 18929.)
Listing NGR: SO8813710749
