Merevale Hall

Details

MEREVALE MEREVALE PARK SP29NE 1/130 Merevale Hall 25/03/68 - II* Country house. Late C17 and C18 origins; rebuilt 1838-1844 by Edward Blore, but completed with some alterations 1842-1844 by Henry Clutton, for William Stratford Dugdale. Brick faced with Hollington stone ashlar, and with cast iron beams. Slate roofs have parapets and shaped gable parapets with moulded copings. Stone ridge and end stacks have octagonal shafts with moulded bases and cornices. Courtyard plan. Elizabethan style. 3 storeys. Symmetrical south-east front to garden of 1-1-3-1-1 bays. Moulded plinth, sill courses and first-floor string course throughout. Stone recessed chamfered mullioned windows have plate glass to ground floor and sashes to upper floors. Slightly projecting centre has Doric pilasters with raised band and panelled pedestals, paired to angles, between each bay, and fielded panelled frieze. Half-glazed double-leaf doors in moulded surround with keyed round arch and carved tympanum. 2-light windows to left and right have central transom. End bays have 3-light windows with transom. Main range has panelled frieze below first-floor windows to all 5 bays. Centre has panelled pedestals and moulded finials above pilasters. Central tall semi-circular 5-light oriel has moulded corbelled base, 2 transoms, coved cornice and moulded embattled parapet. All other bays have 2-light windows with transom; moulded cornices on consoles have semi-circular centres and finials. Second floor has tall central cross window in moulded surround with similar cornice, rising into shaped gable. Other bays have 2-light windows, and centre has blind slit windows in angles on upper floors.Entablature and open arcaded parapet on moulded consoles flanking the windows . Centre has large moulded and panelled pedestals with finials and arched cupolas with stone ogee roofs. End bays have round-arched panels and finials. Projecting wings have 4-storey square angle turrets with string courses, slit windows and stone ogee roofs with finials, and shaped gables. 2-storey 5-light bay window, have 2 transoms to ground floor, and one to first floor. Panelled entablature has enriched angles arid moulded cornice, and strapwork balustrade. 3-light windows above have arched central light and 2 transoms, and moulded cornice. Single-storey range on left has canted bay and round-arched glazed door in moulded surround with overlight. South-west front was made the main entrance in 1842. Two bays. Single-storey range across the front has large porch on the right. Big clasping buttresses rise into pedestals with finials and blind arcaded turrets with ogee roofs. Open work parapet has large round-arched central panel. Wide moulded basket arch with sunk spandrels. Round-arched panelled double-leaf doors have molded arch and imposts. 6-light window with transom on left. Above porch is a slight projection with 2-light windows, with detailing throughout similar to the garden front. Left bay projects slightly and has a canted oriel with strapwork cresting. Second floor has a 2-light window with hood mould. Shaped gable has finials and an arched bellcote. Lower 3-storey service wing of two 2-bay ranges at right angles to left, has corbel-table throughout. Inner range has shaped end gable with stack of 6 shafts, and parapet with central dormer. Outer range has embattled parapet and no visible roof. Irregular fenestration throughout. North-east front is a 5-bay range. Central 2-storey canted bay of 1-4-1 lights. Other bays have 2-light windows. Central gable and balustrade. One-storey bay on right has 4-light window and balustrade at the foot of the tower. North-west front has a 5-window range on left. First bay is a 5-storey tower. High buttresses with 2 gablet offsets above string course, and 2-light window. Second floor is blank. Third floor has a 3-light window in a moulded surround. Fourth and fifth floors, rebuilt in 1841 to a more elaborate design, have canted angles, with a splay course, blind arches to the canted sides and 2-light windows. Openwork parapet has stack to north-east. Second and fourth bays have 2-storey 3-light canted bays with embattled parapets. Third bay has 3-light windows. Fifth bay has door in moulded surround with 2-light overlight, and 2-light window above. Ground floor windows have 2 transoms, first floor have one; hood moulds throughout. Second floor has 2-light windows. Parapet with panels above each bay is similar to south-east front. Lower 3-storey 2-bay ranges on right have a smaller 4-storey with a square tower between them. Moulded string courses. Lower storeys are hidden by an irregular range. 3-bay arcaded loggia at right angles. Second floor has 2 single lights. Third floor has cross windows with moulded shaped cornices. Openwork parapet has octagonal stair turret.Right range has corbel-table and embattled parapet, and is largely hidden by-a similar 2-storey range built across it. Irregular fenestration throughout. Interior. has good quality detailing throughout staircase hall has internal porch and moulded wood doorcases with round-arched cornices. Jacobean style white and black fireplace. Open well staircase has strapwork balustrade. Screen of 3- moulded and enriched round arches with panelled piers and cartouche keys. First floor has similar arcades, open on 2 sides to corridors, and on 2 sides with Venetian-traceried windows containing heraldic stained glass. Elaborate coved, panelled and moulded plaster ceiling has large ornamented pendant. Dining Room has panelled dado. Marble chimneypiece has bulging pilasters and overmantel with semi-circular mirror in moulded surround, carved spandrels and strapwork cresting. Enormous mirrored sideboard recess. Coved and panelled plaster ceiling. L-shaped library has fitted bookcases, and carved wood strapwork cresting to overmantel and doors. Drawing Room has moulded plaster ceiling and 2 bolection-moulded fireplaces. Top-lit saloon has octagonal skylight. Several rooms have marbleised slate classical fireplaces. (Merevale gardens are included in HBMCE Register of Parks and Gardens at grade II; Buildings of England: Warwickshire: p353; Mark Girouard: Merevale Hall: Country Life: 13th and 20th March 1969, pp598-601 and 662-665; Mark Girouard: The Victorian Country House: pp65-67)

Listing NGR: SP2953697350

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

309223

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Girouard, M, The Victorian Country House, (1971), 65-7
Pevsner, N, Wedgwood, A, The Buildings of England: Warwickshire, (1966), 353
Country Life in 13 March, (1969), 598-601
Country Life in 20 March, (1969), 662-5

Other
Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England, Part 42 Warwickshire,

End of official list entry

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