Details
SO 72 SE HARTPURY
8/36
Hartpury House
GV II*
Large country house; early C19 and 1896 (rainwater heads on right
return) latter by Sir Guy Dawber for William Gordon-Canning.
Brick, Flemish bond C19, English bond 1896, ashlar plinth and
dressings, slate roof. Large, irregular plan: 4-window, 2-storey
and attic, 2 room deep main part, to left 3-storey wing, 5 windows
long, single-storey wing at front, 2-storey wing at end. Entrance
front: single-storey porch, rusticated ashlar; double, panelled
door up 3 stone steps, low balustrade each side; semi-circular
fanlight over, with cartouche above: Doric columns each side,
projecting cornice above; stone parapet with decorative details
flanking decorative iron railings in centre. Main front each side
semi-circular headed windows, stone voussoirs, enlarged keystone,
double sashes below fanlight. Plain string course; first floor
ordinary sashes each side, rubbed brick arch; centre projects
slightly, 4-pane wide sash, stone architrave, sweeping out at foot,
shell above: consoles to projecting cornice. Pediment over with
circular window. Hipped roof, flat-headed dormer each side,
central stone chimneys with cornice: on left top to rooflight to
stairs. On right facade set back slightly, one 4-pane wide, 6-pane
high sash window ground floor, similar ordinary height above. To
left single-storey wing projects, semi-octagonal bay window in
centre, with 2 six-pane high sash windows each side. Stone dentil
cornice, plain brick parapet and stone coping, decorative rainwater
heads. Tall stone chimney rises from top of arch. Behind 5-window
block rises further 2 storeys; 4-pane wide sashes, 1 replaced by 2
small mid C20 sashes. Hipped roof. Beyond, on left, pedimented
gable of 2 storey wing, wooden dentil eaves, ground floor hidden by
a walled yard, tripartite sash window first floor, circular opening
with louvres in gable. Rear stone plinth, on left repeat of right-
hand end of front: to right remains of early Cl9 house. Ground
floor lead covered tent-roofed verandah, wrought-iron supports and
tracery, behind tripartite sash window on left, normal centre and
right, all 5 panes high. Three sash windows above, rubbed brick
arches: stone cornice, centre raised and fluted. Hipped roof with
2 flat-headed dormers. To right 3-storey wing. 4 sash windows per
floor with rubbed brick arches, door on left to ground floor.
Beyond 3 storey canted bay with 4-pane wide sashes, 2 on ground
floor, one each above. Stone cornice.
Interior: porch, curved pendentives to ceiling, circle in centre
with bayleaf moulding. Hall, fielded panelling, 6-panel doors,
moulded leaf decoration to window arch, bolection-moulded stone
fireplace surround (as other fireplaces), panelled decorative
wooden overmantel, Ionic pilasters each side. Moulded plaster
beams to ceiling. Dogleg stair, turned balusters, square, panelled
newels, heavy moulded hand rail, moulding to soffit of stairs,
heads to timber screen on landing above. On right, former library,
window as hall, shelves over fielded-panelled doors, arches over as
windows. Glazed arch with bust to corridor behind; pediment over
panelled overmantel to fireplace: moulded leaf decoration to
ceiling. Dado panelling to room behind hall; eared architraves to
door surrounds, octagonal columns either side fireplace carry
projecting cornice with swept head in centre. Drawing room in
right-hand end, dado panelling, shutters to windows, panelled doors
with original brass fittings, inglenook fireplace in bay, moulded
plaster decoration over; segmental ceiling in 4 bays, with vine and
other plants forming borders. Single-storey wing contains panelled
ante-room, and former billiard room, now dining room, panelling to
1.5m, fretwork grilles over radiators, moulded leaf decoration to
arch over bay window, panelled ceiling with dentil cornice. Early
C19 house partly rebuilt and greatly enlarged in 1896: decorative
forecourt wall (q.v.). (D. Verey, Gloucestershire, The Vale and
the Forest of Dean, 1970; notes at house.)
Listing NGR: SO7873722971
