Details
SE4805 HICKLETON HICKLETON HALL
12/64
Hickleton Hall
with attached quadrant
walls and walls extended
27.5.53 to enclose entrance-front
garden having associated
gate piers and 2 statues,
also linking wall to
gate pier at south-east
corner of stable block
(formerly listed as
Hickleton Hall)
GV II*
Country house now Sue Ryder Home. 1745-48 by James Paine for Godfrey Wentworth;
enlarged c1775 and altered 1857-60 (Colvin, p610). Limestone ashlar, graduated
slate roofs. 7 x 5 bay, double-pile, main range with flanking pavilions linked
by C19 additions, service wing set back on right; quadrant walls to all but rear-right
corner, those to front extending to flank garden. Main range: 3 storeys with
basements, 2:3:2 bays; single-storey, 3-bay end-pavilions linked across front by C19
corridors and entrance hall. Entrance hall, of sandstone ashlar, has plinth and sill
band; 2 breaks forward to glazed door flanked by twin pilasters and by 16-pane sashes,
set back, with twin pilasters on outside; corridors, set back, have sashes with
glazing bars in architraves; continuous entablature. Taller pavilions; each set
forward,have sashes, with glazing bars in architraves with consoled cornices, central
sash with pediment; cornice with parapet. Main range 1st floor, sashes with glazing
bars,floating cornices, central sash with architrave and segmental pediment.
Unequally-hung 9-pane sashes to 2nd floor. Modillioned cornice with achievement of
arms in tympanum of 3-bay pediment. Hipped roofs to pavilions and main range.
Transverse, multiple-flue stacks set behind ridge and at right end. Rear: unaltered
C18 facade as front: central doorcase with swept-shouldered architrave and consoled
segmental pediment; plain architraves; no pediment. Semi-octagonal, single-storey
projection on left has round-headed sashes with glazing bars in architraves,
dentilled cornice. Principal facade of service wing set back on left: 2 storeys,
3:2:5:2 bays; unequally-hung 9-pane sashes to basement level, band beneath sashes
with glazing bars on upper floor, dentilled cornice. Left return of main range:
basement loggia with 5 segmental arches and balustrade.
Interior: entrance hall: Vitruvian-scrolled dado, contemporary fireplace, Doric
colonnaded screen with detailed entablature. Dining room: marble sidewall fireplace
has carved overmantel with floral drops, festoons and broken pediment with basket
filled with fruit and flowers; enriched doorcases with acanthus friezes; coved
ceiling with acanthus features. Semi-octagonal bay to rear right has marble fireplace
with scene of cherubs at daybreak, excellent plaster ceiling in the manner of John
Carr. Library: Corinthian screen, frieze and good plaster ceiling. Staircase to
rear centre has C20 wrought-iron balustrade, Ionic columns to 1st landing, Corinthian
columns to 2nd. Chapel in left pavilion: later panelling and reredos with Ionic
columns and segmental pediment.
cont....
Subsidiary features: ashlar quadrant walls to front have copings and terminate at
finialled piers each with linked retaining wall surmounted by an C18 statue, that
to left a Greek warrior, that to right a female figure with shield. Lower sections
of early C20,coursed, rubble walling. have open-pedimented doorways with tripartite
keystones and terminate at large gate piers with gadrooned plinths to ball finials,
walls return and link to balustrade (not of special interest). An additional section
of wall connects front-right garden wall with gate pier matching that linked to
east end of Stable Block main facade (q.v.). Ashlar quadrant wall to rear left of
main range links to large gate piers at south end of garden front terrace.
Home of Godfrey Wentworth (d1789), later passed to Charles Wood, 1st Viscount
Halifax and to his son Charles Lindley Wood. Sold in 1947-48; in present use since
1960-61.
H. Colvin, A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects 1600-1840, 1978, p610.
Listing NGR: SE4822105166
