Dauntsey House

Details

DAUNTSEY CHURCH LANE ST 98 SE 3/188 Dauntsey House 12.12.51 GV II* Country house, C14 core, remodelled late C17 or early C18 and again c1800 when recased in ashlar. North end range reduced in mid C20. Stone slate roofs, ashlar stacks. Two storeys and attic, L-plan main house with north east service range. Main south and west fronts are similar with raised plinth, angle piers, band, moulded cornice and parapet. Twelve-pane sashes with thick glazing bars, renewed c1900. Four-window south front has parapet pierced to light four gabled dormers, and floor-length ground floor windows. Coped gables and end stacks. East end wall is roughcast rubble stone with ashlar gable. Traces of ancient masonry found under roughcast. West end wall is ashlar, two-window range matching formal seven-window main west front attached to left. Seven- window range has centre large double doors with heavy Roman Doric pilasters framing and stone shelf over. Matching single storey 2- window north end addition screens garage. North end and ridge stacks. Rear east front is ashlar with centre first floor Venetian window between two 12-pane sashes and ground floor 4-window range of sashes and French windows. North east range, partly ashlar, rendered to north with single storey kitchen range to east. Interiors: four massive 32' raised cruck trusses are in roof of rear range, over dining room, but present interiors are remarkable for quality of c1800 decoration. Entrance hall has c1800 archway with sidelights to rear hall which has bottom flight of c1800 stair to left, the open-well stair-hall to north now with inserted floor, and, to right, fine Ionic doorcase to dining room. Room to south of entrance hall has inserted mahogany staircase, probably later Cl9. South end range has outstanding c1800 decoration, with cornices, friezes, wall and dado panels and Ionic doorcases. Marble carved fireplace. Very large east end double doors in matching Ionic doorcase to east end ante-room with Adam-style painted ceiling, still in original colours, and marble fireplace. To north, panelled dining room in late C17 to early C18 style, possibly mostly good c1900 imitation, fielded panelled walls incorporating paintings, panelled shutters, heavily carved north end doorcase, matching cornice and C20 stone fireplace. Fine mahogany doors throughout. Dauntsey estate was held by Dauntsey family in middle ages, passed via the Stradling family to Danvers family in C16. Henry Danvers, died 1643, was made 1st Earl of Danby. The estates were sequestered after the restoration because Sir John Danvers of Baydon, died 1655, was among the regicides and bestowed c1710 on Charles Mordaunt, Earl of Peterborough and Monmouth, commander of the allied forces in Spain 1705-7, who died 1735. The fourth Earl died 1779 and the fifth and last Earl, for whom the house was refronted, died 1819. In the later C19 owned by Sir H. Meux, sold 1910. (N. Pevsner Wiltshire 1975; Aubrey and Jackson Wiltshire Colections 1862 216-228; J. Britton Beauties of Wiltshire 1825 3 72)

Listing NGR: ST9796982514

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

316314

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Aubrey, , Jackson, , Wiltshire Collections, (1862), 216-228
Britton, J, Beauties of Wiltshire, (1825), 72
Britton, J, Beauties of Wiltshire, (1825), 3
Pevsner, N, The Buildings of England: Wiltshire, (1975)

End of official list entry

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