Dorfold Hall

Details

ACTON C.P. DORFOLD PARK SJ 65 SW Dorfold Hall 4/7 10th June 1952 I GV

Mansion, 1616 for Ralph Wilbraham (Pevsner). Red brick with blue brick features and stone dressing, slate roof. Basement, 2 storeys and attic, 5 bays plus added bay (east). Double-pile plan. The house is flanked by 2-storey "L"-plan pavilions and screen walls dated 1824 (carved on door head) which link up the original "L"-plan separated pavilions to enclose the cobbled forecourt. The pavilions and linking screen walls have a total length of 7 bays. The central gabled bay of the Hall is set back one bay and the space contains nine steps, which lead to the main, six-moulded-panel, entrance door in the east return. The original gabled end bays are set forward of the second and forth bays. Projecting stone plinth, flush stone dressed quoins, blue brick diamond pattern diaper work, moulded stone cornices to ground and first floor windows. End bays have door height stone windows to basement with sills at ground level and wide stone piers dividing pairs of windows. 3-to-5-light mullion and transome windows to ground and first floor, ovolo moulded ground floor, chamfered above, all with leaded glazing. Three-light stepped windows in the gables of the centre and end bays with raking hood-moulds above. The gables have stone copings and pyramid finials to kneelers and apex. The second and fourth bays are narrower than those which are gabled, they are only 2 storeys in height and have a stone balustrade-parapet to facade and returns. The added bay (east) appears to be of the same build as the 1824 pavilions and only a first floor mullion and transome window and a small attic window can be seen behind these. This bay has a solid parapet with small central gable surmounted and flanked by pyramid finials. The Hall roof has a lead ridge and there are gable-end stacks to the original five bays, which have separated flues, octagonal (west) and square set diagonally (east). The three central bays of the pavilion blocks are deeply recessed, one bay back, these are screen walls with false door and window openings. The pavilion end bays have a one-bay return to the second and sixth bays. Chamfered stone plinth, to pavilions, but brick to screen walls. The central (false) doors are softwood, formed into vertical panels by beads, in heavy chamfered stone frames. Windows are two-light mullion casements with leaded glazing and moulded hood moulds. Ogee shaped gables to all west and east facing and return bays. These have an infill of twin semicircular blind stone arches sprung from a central console. All gables are flanked and surmounted by ball finials on scotia moulded pedestals. The south returns of the original 1616 pavilions have small door openings, under deep stone heads, and small lattice-glazed bullseye windows flanking the first floor windows. These pavilions have two bays facing north down the drive. A stone wall with balustrade, from the corners of the earlier pavilions, in six panels, with one set forward each side (north) completes the enclosure of the forecourt. This has angle and gate piers, with carved ogee caps, and a pair of gates, based on square and flat bars, with scrolls and spears and the Tollemache fret emblem encircled at the centre.

Interior: Much of the ground floor was altered in the C18. The Entrance Hall has a 1740 vaulted ceiling with enriched ribs supported by fluted pilasters. The Dining Room has the ceiling divided into twelve panels and a Georgian softwood mantel from a City of London inn. The Library has an enriched ceiling, in early Adam style, which features a pair of doves at its centre. Two arched openings have elliptical panelled soffites and fluted pilaster supports. Moulded and panelled softwood window linings. Ground floor doors, of unusual style, with full width horizontal panels top and bottom. A Jacobean dogleg staircase, with carved splat balusters, leads to the first floor. The Great Chamber has a tunnel vaulted plastered ceiling with broad studded strapwork bands and pendants dating from 1621. There is a large stone chimneypiece, with Roman Doric columns, flanked by panelling with Jacobean tapering pilasters. The chimneypiece is decorated with the Coats of Arms of Cecil Lord Burleigh, Stanley Earl of Derby and Sir Christopher Hatton. The Oak Bedroom is panelled in oak and has a chimneypiece with the arms of Sir Thomas Delves of Doddington and Sir John Done of Utkinton, who married Wilbraham sisters. The Coats of Arms are flanked and separated by coupled carved columns and the chimneypiece is flanked by reeded pilasters. King James' Bedroom has the walls panelled, 4 panels high, with reeded frieze above. It has a deep plaster cornice, based on strapwork, foliage and shields. A stone fireplace dated 1621 has the Royal Arms, lion and unicorn supporters and the inscription BEATI PACIFICI in plasterwork above. A flight of stairs with large oak turned balusters and heavy handrail leads to the attic. The Red Garret is a gable room with two sloping ceilings and oak panelling 3 panels high. Other bedrooms have plaster panelled beams, six-panel doors and Georgian fireplaces. In the basement there is a heavily moulded beam with the Wilbraham Coat of Arms above.

Listing NGR: SJ6357052508

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

56919

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Other
Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England, Part 6 Cheshire,

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