Cound Hall

Details

COUND C.P. A458, Cound SJ 50 NE (south-west side) 4/80 Cound Hall 13.6.58 - I Mansion. Dated 1704, by John Prince of Shrewsbury for Edward Cressett; service wing of c.1800 and extended in 1907 (datestone); interior partly altered in the early C19 and the late C19 or early C20. Red brick, gauged in north-west front; grey sandstone ashlar dressings; hipped slate roof. Double pile plan with recessed corners; 3:3:3 x 1:3:1 bays. 3 storeys and attic over basement. North-west front: plinth with some channelled rustication and moulded stone top, stone floor bands with moulded under- sides; Corinthian giant order with channelled-rusticated pedestals; fluted pilasters with carved cable fluting, moulded bases and well carved capitals, and short sections of entablature, with carved lions in frieze to centre pair; well moulded dentil cornice breaking forward over pilasters with acorn dentils at corners, and egg and dart and other enrichments; solid parapet with wrought iron balustrades over end projections; 4 segmental-topped dormers and 6 brick stacks, 3:3:3 bays; glazing bar sashes (early C18 in left-hand 3 bays with exposed boxes and late C18 to right) with gauged brick heads (segmental to basement), moulded stone cills, and aprons; carved stone datestone below central second-floor window and carved stone festoons in panels beneath fourth and sixth first-floor windows. Central pair of doors each with 3 bolection-moulded panels, and rectangular overlight above; stone door- case consisting of panelled pilasters with moulded bases and carved husk drops, large carved console brackets with putti flanking carved monogram between, and open segmental pediment with broken-back centre and carved armorial shield with flanking palm fronds in tympanum; 8 probably early C19 stone steps up to entrance with incised fret ornament on risers and small square corner-piers at feet. Right-hand return front: 1:3:1 bays; flanking pilasters, central break with chamfered stone quoins of equal length; central bay slightly broken forward; early C18 sashes to ground and first floors and late C18 sashes to second floor, some blind windows in set-back outer bays. Central pair of half-glazed bolection-moulded doors with rectangular overlight; stone doorcase consisting of chamfered rusticated ground, architrave with egg and dart enrichment, frieze with carved foliage decoration and shield, and broken segmental pediment with carved foliage decoration and cartouche in tympanum; flanking curved flights of stone steps with wrought iron balustrade consisting of square-section railings and standards with globe finials, curved stanchions, ramped handrails and radial panel to centre with flanking lyre panels; keyed segmental arch beneath with flight of steps down to half-glazed basement door. Left-hand return front: 1:3:1 bays, flanking pilasters, central break with chamfered stone quoins of equal length; early C18 sashes with exposed boxes, some blind windows in set-back outer bays; triple keystones to first- floor windows. Rear: 3:3:3 bays; Corinthian giant order: pilasters flanking centre 3 bays with carved cartouches in frieze and supporting triangular pediment with broken-back centre; early C18 sashes in 3 right-hand bays and in second floor of centre 3 bays; triple keystones to first-floor windows and no aprons to second-floor windows. 8 stone steps up to pair of half-glazed doors; stone doorcase consisting of panelled pilasters with moulded bases and carved husk drops, large carved console brackets, and open segmental pediment with broken-back centre and armorial carving with flanking foliage in tympanum. Service wing to north-east: late C18 or early C19; red brick wigh grey sand- stone dressings and hipped slate roof; one storey. Chamfered stone quoins, dentil stone eaves cornice, and central brick ridge stack; 4 bays, glazing bar sashes. Additions dated 1907 in an early C18 style; red brick with grey sandstone dressings, plinth, chamfered quoins, moulded eaves cornice, and lugged architraves; sashes and wreathed oeils-de-boeuf. Interior: 1704, c.1800, and late C19 or early C20. Left-hand rooms mainly 1704: bolection-moulded panelling; moulded cornices; panelled doors; fireplaces with bolection-moulded surrounds, floating cornices, and late C18 or early C19 cast iron grates; small corner fireplaces in dressing rooms on first and second floors; wall cupboards adjoining fireplaces; first-floor central corridor with tall bolection-moulded panels from floor to ceiling; ground-floor left-hand front room especially fine. Other probably late C18 or early C19 fire- places. Right-hand rooms and ground-floor rear rooms have been altered in the late C19 or early C20 to a lesser or greater extent: ground- floor right-hand front room in a Neo-Jacobean style with panelling, stone fireplace with overmantel and strapwork plaster ceiling; ground- floor right-hand room at rear in an early C18 style with bolection- moulded panels and fireplace surround, panelled doors, and enriched plaster ceiling; 2 central ground-floor rooms at rear combined and remodelled in a Neo-Classical style with Ionic screen, richly decorated plaster frieze and cornice, 2 fireplaces, and panelled doors with door- cases; first-floor right-hand room at front with lugged panels, Ionic pilasters, enriched plaster cornice and panelled ceiling, Neo-Classical fireplace and panelled doors; other fireplaces and fittings in the house are also probably late C19 or early C20. Full-height entrance hall; staircase, said to be early C19 but possibly c.1900: 3-flights to each storey around square well with landings, and centre flight 'flying' acrosshall with half-landing supported on Ionic and Corinthian columns; open string with carved paterae on tread ends, wrought iron balustrade, columnular newel post, moulded ramped and wreathed handrail, and probably late C19 strapwork decoration on soffit; c.1900 panelling, and ceiling with dentil cornice and central rose. Early C18 back staircase from ground to first floor with closed string, turned balusters, square newel posts and moulded handrail; back staircase to second floor with delicate turned balusters, square newel posts, and moulded handrail. It is said that repairs were made to the south front after an earthquake in c.1840 which might explain the only partial replacement of the early C18 sashes with the thinner barred later type. It might also be significant that the early C18 interiors have survived best in the parts of the house where the sashes have not been replaced. The house is notable for its high quality detailing and for being one of the few known works of John Prince. It is of a type of country house popular throughout the West Midlands in the early C18 and exemplified by the work of Francis Smith of Warwick. V.C.H., Vol.VIII, Pp.58-73; B.o.E., Pp.114-5; Colvin, Pp.661-2; H. Avary Tipping, English Homes,Period IV, Vol. 7, Late Stuart 1649-1714, Country Life (1924), Pp.417-24; Kerry Downes, English Baroque Architecture, Zwemmer (1966), Pp.66-7 and Ills. 162, 164-6.

Listing NGR: SJ5607405329

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

259733

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Page, W, The Victoria History of the County of Shropshire, (1908), 58-73
Downes, K, English Baroque Architecture, (1966), 66-7,162-6
Pevsner, N, The Buildings of England: Shropshire, (1958), 114-5
Country Life in Country Life, (1924), 417-24

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