Bramall Hall

Details

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 20/09/2016

SJ 88 NE 5/3

BRAMHALL
BRAMHALL PARK

Bramall Hall

9.8.66

GV

I
Great house. C14 open hall house for Alice and John Davenport, substantially altered, a floor inserted and a long gallery added as a third floor in late C16 for William and Dorothy Davenport. The long gallery was later removed. Again altered and added to in the 1880s for C. Neville by George Faulkner Armitage. Timber-framed on a stone plinth with graduated stone slate roof and brick chimney stacks. Planned formerly as a quadrangle though no evidence exists of the west side. Generally 2 storeys plus attics. 5 bays with north and south wings projecting by 3 bays. Stone plinth, overhanging first floor with coved jetty and coved eaves. Bay 1 is a gabled crosswing which projects as far as the 2-storey gabled porch in bay 2. Bays 3 and 4 (the great hall) have gablets (all of which are C19) to the polygonal 2-storey bay. Bays 3, 4 and 5 have continuous glazing on the ground floor with moulded timber mullion and transom windows in runs of up to 14 lights with leaded panes. A decorated framed band runs at first floor cill level and bays 1 to 4 are continuously glazed on the first floor. The C15 south (solar) wing is close-studded each floor having a mid-rail and the first floor having curved diagonal braces. 3 6-light mullion and transom ground floor windows, 2 4-light traceried ogee-headed mullion windows on the first floor and a fine ornate oriel window above a carved panel and angelic corbel. Octagonal bell-cote on roof. The north wing, said to contain some of the oldest timbers, is similarly framed and has a 3-light window on each floor in each bay; the framing has been plastered over. The east elevation has 8 bays with nearly as many gables. 2-storey porch is flanked on the left by a large projecting chimney stack to the great hall which also has a 7-light mullion and transom window and an oriel and gable above. Beyond that the library and chapel bays project to varying degrees. The crosswing has 2 superimposed gables and the gabled north wing is jettied at first floor. The decorative panelling is more varied, using numerous shapes within square and diagonally set panels. The gables are all decorated differently and have projecting heavily enriched carved bressumer beams, carved bargeboards and finials. Total of 5 chimney stacks with clustered moulded brick shafts.

Interior: great hall has remnant in bay window of the former pendant ceiling, heavy oak door with wicket gate, remains of one arched service wing door, painted C16 glass with Davenport arms as well as roundels depicting Roman gods. Chapel, earlyC16 restored 1938, has heavily moulded timber columns, curved braces and beams, traceried timber mullioned lights in north wall, pre-reformation wall painting of passion, south chamber by Nevill and early C16 painted glazing of crucifixion. C16 banqueting room, south and west walls rebuilt, has heavily moulded posts, braces and primary beams which with the secondary beams create a square grid, and traces of early C16 wall painting. Solar with 2 cambered tie beam inclined strut trusses with carved arch braces, and tiers of cusped windbracing creating a quatrefoil motif. Wall paintings cover the north and east walls (c.1610) and are well preserved. The roof construction continues behind the ceiling of the Chapel room which is largely C19 with Pugin-designed furniture. Good late C16 plasterwork frieze with Molyneux arms and vine and strapwork motifs to Paradise room. Withdrawing room, above great hall has good plaster pendant ceiling, armorial frieze and large stucco chimney piece with elaborate caryatids. Pevsner: 'one of the four best timber-framed mansions of England', BoE.

E.B. Dean, Bramall Hall, the Store of an Elizabethan Manor House, 1977.


Listing NGR: SJ8901686368

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

440559

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Dean, E B, Bramall Hall The Storey of an Elizabethan Manor House, (1977)
Pevsner, N, Hubbard, E, The Buildings of England: Cheshire, (1971)

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