Mottistone Manor the Dower House

Details

BRIGHSTONE

SZ488SW B 3399, Mottistone 1354-0/8/79 Mottistone Manor and The Dower House 21/07/51

GV II*

Large manor house, subdivided into 2. L-shaped buildings of 3 builds, the south east wing with oldest part is early C16 or C15 and the north west wing added or remodelled by Thomas Cheke in 1567 and the furthest part of the south east wing early C17, the whole remodelled by the firm of Seely and Paget in the 1920s. South east wing built of stone rubble with ashlar dressings. Roof partially tiled, part stone slates to lower part. 2 square stone chimneystacks. 2 storeys 8 windows. Stone mullioned windows, 2 or 3 light, with hood mouldings. 4 centred arched door with hood moulding. Gable end with kneelers. North west wing added or remodelled by Thomas Cheke in 1567 whose initials appear in the porch. This wing is of higher elevation. Built of Isle of Wight ashlar with the roof partially tiled, the lower courses of stone slates. 2 storeys and attics, 3 windows. Attic has gable with kneelers and 2 light mullioned windows with hoodmouldings. 1st floor has 2 4-light mullioned and transomed windows. Stone band between floors. In the angle of the L is a 2 storey porch with a nearly square headed archway facing south west and an old door to the inner archway. The 1st floor originally had a window but this has been replaced by a square panel containing a cartouche of the Cheke family with the initials T.C. (Thomas Cheke) and the date 1567 flanked by terms. There are 2 small square projections in the north east front and 1 containing a staircase on the north west front. Interior entrance hall has ceiling beam with 4 inch chamfer and triangular stop. Bolection moulded marble fireplace removed from Appuldurcombe by Seely in 1920s. Stone arched doorcase. Dining Room in south east wing has 2 C17 2 inch chamfered axial beams with lambs tongue stops and wide stone fireplace with iron bracket. Cupboard with butterly and L-hinge. Upstairs in angle of the L are the remains of an arch braced roof with collar truss and side purlins. Stone fireplace with wooden lintel. There is some exposed C16 square framing below. The remainder of this wing has a butt purlin roof with queen posts. From the entrance hall the 1567 north west wing is reached. This comprized buttery, central hall with servery and parlour with bedrooms above and the rooms retain their original functions. Kitchen has 4 inch chamfers with triangular stops. Central hall has large 4 centred arched stone fireplace and has a late C16 carved wooden overmantel now on wall adjoining kitchen with 4 female caryatids thought to have come from Merston Manor. Parlour has large 4 centred arched stone fireplace with high stops. Unusual 1567 staircase with solid square chamfered stone centre and solid stone treads. 1st floor has paired 4 centred arched doorcases. There are 4 cupboards thought to have been for storing chamber pots. Corner bedroom above kitchen has a late C16 4 centred arched stone fireplace with high stops and unusual deal panelling, perhaps late C17 to early C18 in date with transom near ceiling, long panels below and 3 fielded panels above fireplace decorated with central rectangular and end diamond shaped carvings. Central bedroom above hall has 4 centred stone fireplace with high stops. Bedroom above Parlour has a similar fireplace and remains of a black letter text from the Thomas Matthews bible of 1537 with yellow and black cartouche. Only one text survives but the other panels were imaginatively re-created by Seely. 1st floor cupboard in centre of stair well with butterfly hinges. The bathroom contains some C19 panelling from Fort Victoria. Part of the roof of the 1567 wing has a roof with staggered purlins and queen posts. The other part is of 4 bays and butt purlins. This was one of the original Domesday Manors. In 1706 a landslide buried the rear wall of the south east wing almost up to eaves level and for 150 yeas it became a farmhouse owned by the Leighs of North Court, Shorwell. In 1861 Chares Seely of Brook House bought the estate and in the 1920s his grandson John Seely, architect, restored the building. (C W R Winter: The Manor Houses of the Isle of Wight: 102 - 107; V C H Hampshire: 251; Country Life, March 16, 1929).

Listing NGR: SZ4062983797

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

392902

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Doubleday, AH, The Victoria History of the County of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, (1912), 251
Winter, CWR, The Manor Houses of the Isle of Wight, (1985), 102-107
Country Life in 16 March, (1929)

End of official list entry

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