Peckover House

Details

WISBECH NORTH BRINK TF 4509 5/154 No. 15 (Peckover House) GV I

Fine house built in 1722. Wings attributed to Algenon Peckover (1803-1893) in 1878 but designed by Edward Boardman of Norwich. Original late C18 bank to west included in these C19 additions. Local amber brick with red brick, and gauged red brick details. Lead roofs; four internal side stacks. Three storeys with half- basements. Square plan of five 'bays'. Giant pilasters at quoins. Panelled parapet with stone copings, moulded, dentil enriched cornice of gauged brick. Gauged brick bands between floors. Vertical red brick bands link windows with gauged brick aprons and segmental arches. Twelve-paned hung sash windows decrease in height at each floor. Four basement windows. Some windows original C18. Fine central, oolitic limestone doorcase with rusticated jambs and dentil enriched segmental pediment, approached by four stone steps. Entrance door with eight raised and fielded panels and round-headed fanlight with interlacing glazing bars. Garden elevation has a fine stone staircase with balustrade leading up to pedimented doorcase with Venetian window and three-light lunette above, both possibly inserted in mid C18. Flanking wings, c.1878 and c.1890, single storey, curved in plan, of matching materials. Wing to east with parapet and two, single-light and one, three-light hung sash window with slender paired, columnar mullions. Wing to west with similar elevation but with open porch to original late C18 side entrance. Late C18 single-storey bank with hipped roof exists in part, masked by garden wall. Original openings blocked; strong room survives at basement level and small safe under floor boards+; shelving at ceiling height possibly original and used for ledgers. The interior decoration is particularly noteworthy and is of two periods. Early work possibly by craftsmen from Houghton Hall, Norfolk; the Palladian/Rococco work c.1760 carried out by the Southwell family. All rooms have original panelling, window cases with shutters and window seats, richly ornamented chimney pieces, and pedimented doorcases and ceiling cornices. Six-panelled doors with original brass locks (night locks in bedrooms) and hinges, archways with panelled soffits and pilasters. Rococo details added to some room decoration, ie ceiling of west, front bedroom. Fine staircase with Vitruvian scroll string repeated as a band. Venetian window in staircase hall with very fine coffered, plastered ceiling of ribbon work, foliage, and shells with 'free' foliage lamp boss. Servants stair closed- string with slender balusters and pine rail. Pine floors; hall floor geometric limstone with black (Belgian) marble setts. Wing to east originally furnished as a library for Algenon Peckover. Service basement, brick vaulted, has large cooking hearth in kitchen with early C20 cooking range made in Wisbech, original lead-lined sink, seats to servants hall and limestone floor. Peckover House has been the property of the National Trust since 1948 originally the home of the Peckover, banking family from 1877. Sources: +Personal communciation with Mr. Garnon, the Custodian of Peckover House. NT, Peckover House, Wisbech, 1978. VCH Cambs, p.242. Pevsner, Buildings in England, po500. Watson, 1827, Walker and Craddock, 1847, Gardiner, p.34, 1898, Histories of Wisbech. Photographs and prints, C18 and C19, W. & F. Mus. Country Life, 1947. Wisbech Society Annual Report, 1921.

Listing NGR: TF4585809662

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

48352

Legacy System:

LBS

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