Parnham House
PARNHAM HOUSE
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- I
- List Entry Number:
- 1221178
- Date first listed:
- 12-Jun-1953
- List Entry Name:
- Parnham House
- Statutory Address:
- PARNHAM HOUSE
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Location
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Images of England Project
- Date:
- 2001-11-22
- Reference:
- IOE01/06104/12
- Rights:
- © Mrs Margaret Jenkins. Source: Historic England Archive
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- I
- List Entry Number:
- 1221178
- Date first listed:
- 12-Jun-1953
- List Entry Name:
- Parnham House
- Statutory Address 1:
- PARNHAM HOUSE
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- PARNHAM HOUSE
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- District:
- Dorset (Unitary Authority)
- Parish:
- Beaminster
- National Grid Reference:
- ST 47513 00284
Details
BEAMINSTER PARNHAM ST 40 SE 12.6.53 4/125 Parnham House GV I
Country House. Mid C16 core, with C17 north-west service wing, 1810 Nash refashioning and extension, and later modifications. Ashlar lias stone walls, stone slate and lead roofs. East elevation: crenellated parapet, octagonal stone chimneys with moulded cornices, grouped in twos, with clusters of threes by Nash at front eaves. 2 1/2 - 3 storeys, 9 - 10 bays wide. Irregular E-plan house. South east gable projects furthest, with 6-light canted oriel to ground and first floors. 3-light attic window over. Diagonal buttresses by Nash. South east staircase, one bay,with 2- and 3-light stone mullions, ground floor one by Nash. All hollow- chamfered with 4-centred heads. Hall now of 3 bays, formerly 2 with 4- light transomed mullions with a continuous string over. Stone stack, at first floor level, inserted by Nash, gabled with 3 chimneys over. Projecting porch at centre with 2 storey canted oriel over. Gabled with Nash pinacles. Oriel is a 3-lighter with single-light cants. Iron casements with lead lights and tension-bars. North east projecting staircase bay abuts porch, one bay, also 3 storeys. Single bay with 4-light mullions. Finally, projecting north east gable 3 1/2 storeys. 6-light stone mullions with 4- centred heads and a single returned label. Nash pinacles to gable. South front: modified by Nash, viz: 3-lighters cross-transomed and lowered. Canted oriel added to bay 2. One window with 2 transoms. Nash buttresses between each bay, and pinnacling. West front: Dining Room added by Nash of 3 bays and 2 storeys, with cross-transomed mullions. North west service- wing, L-shaped, 2 storeys with crenellated parapet over; refenestrated by Nash. Interior: Great Hall, Screen of c.1600, with 3 ranges of panels finished with a moulded and embattled cornice. Doorway has jamb-shafts and a 4-centred head. Fireplace, C20, but incorporating C15 screen material. East windows contain 8 mid C16 shields-of-arms. South east staircase, early C17, rearranged enriched square newels with pierced finials, turned balusters, and moulded handrail. Upper landing crosses full width of stairwell. North east staircase early C18, walls lined with C17 panelling. Oak Room, lined with C16 linen-fold panelling, possibly from West Hawsley Place. Windows have a series of 7 Dutch roundels with heraldry and figure-subjects, mainly from mid C17. Dining Room: 4-centred stone fireplace with strapwork over mantel and rouble-cornice. Plasterwork in C17 style, inserted C20 by Hans Sauer. House contains much re-set panelling and fireplaces, C17. C18 door surrounds to Drawing Room and Library, C20 plasterwork ceilings inserted by Sauer. Sources: R.C.H.M. Dorset I, p 21 (5) ff. R. Hine, History of Beaminster, pp 334-347. A. Oswald Country Houses of Dorset, pp 58-60.
Listing NGR: ST4751300284
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 394801
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Sources
Books and journals
Inventory of Dorset I West, (1952), 21
Hine, R, History of Beaminster, (1914), 334-347
Oswald, A, Country Houses of Dorset, (1935), 58-60
Other
Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England, Part 12 Dorset,
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 07-Jun-2026 at 10:12:53.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
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