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
