Details
ST 77 SW and COLD ASHTON C.P. HYDES LANE (north side)
ST 77 SE
The Manor House
8/26 and 9/26
17.9.52 I
G.V.
House. Thought to have been built for William Pepwall, Mayor of Bristol c.1570-5,
more likely to have been built for John Gunning c.1629, restored by Lieut. Col.
Cooper, 1923, with later alterations. Rubble, rendered, stone dressings and
prominent quoins, stone slate roof with raised coped verges and ball finials to
gables, clustered diagonal ridge stacks. U-plan formed by 2 gabled wings with
recessed centre. 3 storeys, gable at each side of wings, rising to ridge height
and similar central gable in main block, 1:3:1 windows; each wing has canted bay
at front through 2 storeys, 5-light window with ovolo mullions at ground floor,
all windows with early C20 leaded lights, similar window at first floor, hipped
roof to bay, 2nd floor has 2-light casement with ovolo mullions and hood mould;
plinth, string course above ground and first floor windows, stone gutters, all
carried round central block and side elevations. Inner sides of wings each have
3-light casement at ground and first floor, as on front, smaller at first floor,
and similar 2-light casement in gable. Central block has 2 large oval windows
with bolection-moulded surround in rectangular architrave at ground floor, string
course carried over heads; central bay broken forward has porch with plain
pilasters with Roman Doric capitals rising from plinths with diamond mouldings,
cornice, triglyph and rosette frieze, upper cornice, all broken forward over
pilasters, pediment with blank shield in bolection-moulded recessed panel in
tympanum, moulded jambs and impost blocks, scrolled keystone, porch has stone
benches to sides and carved panelled door with fan carving in upper section;
first floor has 2 similar 2-light casements and central 3-light casement,
balustrade with Ionic capital over each baluster, 2nd floor has gable set back
behind balustrade with similar 2-light casement with dripstone. Left return has
canted bay to left through 2 storeys as on front, ground floor right 3-light
casement with ovolo mullions, string course above windows, first floor right
blocked 3-light similar window, similar string course, 2 gables rising to ridge
height each with similar 2-light casement and hood mould, central pair of diagonal
stacks rising from roof slope. Right return has two 2-light casements in gables,
each left side blocked for flue, first floor right has 3-light casement, single
storey C20 addition in similar style with door and windows, string courses as at
left return, each gable has single diagonal stack with paired central stack.
Rear has 3 gables rising to ridge height and 5 windows, ground floor has two 3-
light casements and 2 inner 2-light casements, central embattled porch with round-
headed opening, impost blocks and scrolled keystone, bolection moulded surround to
C20 double door; first floor has central and outer 3-light casements, and two
2-light casements, 2-light casement in each gable with hood mould, string course
above ground and first floor windows, stone gutters with C20 decorative lead
flashings. Interior- central passage has original richly carved doors and
screens, open to left to the hall, hall has bead and reel cornice to jambs of
arches, dentils and egg and dart carving at top; front right room (west) has
plaster strapwork ceiling with putti, 4-centred arched stone fireplace with moulded
surround and mantel, panelled cupboard; front left room has similar fireplace,
completely panelled, plaster ceiling with frieze and decorative fruit at corners,
dentil cornice to panelling, carved panels and balusters over mantel; kitchen (to
rear left) has 4-centred arched internal window with shutter, heavy moulded and
stopped beam, large fireplace with heavy chamfered timber lintel, panelled
cupboards, one with butterfly hinges. Dog-leg stair with closed string, turned
balusters and grip handrail; at first floor, room to west also completely
panelled, upper row of panels with carved diamonds and fluted pilasters between
each, Tudor-arched fireplace with painted fireback, fluted wooden Ionic pilasters
to each side, more elaborate plaster ceiling than at ground floor, fluted Ionic
pilasters to each side of windows, this room formerly solar (above hall), former
gallery now floored in; both rooms in front wings have fireplaces as at ground
floor; all doors at first floor panelled with raised fillets in bolection-
moulded frames. Stair to attic has larger turned balusters at landing level,
2 rooms to east have stone fireplaces, smaller than at lower level, one plank and
batten door remaining with decorative strap hinges, roof construction not visible.
(Sources: Verey, D. : Buildings of England Gloucestershire : The Cotswolds. 1970.
Country Life, February 14th, 1925, p.240).
Listing NGR: ST7500472638
