Elvaston Castle

Details

SK 43 SW PARISH OF ELVASTON BORROWASH ROAD 2/15 (West Side) 2.9.52 Elvaston Castle GV II* Country house, now part of country park. 1633 and early C18, with major refashioning in Tudor style by James Wyatt of c1817, completed after his death by Walker and east front of c1830 to 1840, probably designed by L N Cottingham, plus C211 alterations, including demolition of north-west wing in 1970. Built for the Earls of Harrington. Ashlar with stone dressings, except 1633 bay to east of south front which is of red brick with stone dressings and flush quoins, and north-west corner of the building which has been rendered. Shallow pitched slate roofs with brick stacks hidden behind embattled parapets with ridgeback copings over coved eaves stringcourse. Three storeys and seven bays by nine bays. Seven bay south front, designed by Wyatt, incorporating one bay of 1633 house, has wide flanking bays and five recessed central bays with an advanced central porch. This has a moulded four-centred arched doorcase, with carved spandrels and returned hoodmould with carved labelstops, flanked by stepped angle buttresses with blind panelling to upper parts which rise above the parapets to form small castellated turrets. Coved stringcourse and embattled parapets with blind panelling over. To either side, the porch has blind pointed windows with returned hoods and inside it has a rib vaulted ceiling plus a pointed inner doorcase with double glazed doors and cusped fanlight. To either side of the porch there are pairs of tall recessed and chamfered cross windows with cusped headed lights, incised spandrels and returned hoodmoulds. Five similar smaller windows above, without transoms. Western bay is C19 and has full height octagonal turrets to each corner with cornices at first floor level, narrow slit windows above and castellated tops. Ground floor has similar 3-light mullion window. Above there is a canted oriel window with frieze of cusped blind panelling to base and top, cusped headed 2-light window to front with similar single light windows to sides, and a lapped stone roof with crocketed corner finials. Above again there is a central 2-light window, similar to those to central bays, flanked by similar blind single light windows. Eastern bay, of red brick, has two storey canted bay window with ovolo moulded 4-light mullion and transomed window to front and similar single light windows to sides plus returned hoodmould. To centre of the sill there is a corbelled stone sundial. Above there is a similar taller window with stone roof carved to simulate tiles, over which is a carved frieze dated 1633 with returned hoodmould over. Above again there is a 4-light recessed and ovolo moulded mullion and transomed window with dripmould. All C17 windows have leaded lights and some have C17 glass. Parapets have been continued up in stone above the C17 gable and eastern corner has C19 octagonal stone turret similar to those to western bay. Nine bay east front, probably by Cottingham, has continuous sill stringcourses to upper floors, stepped corner turrets, similar to those on south front, and three taller central bays advanced. Central bay has a two storey canted bay window, with plain sashes in moulded surrounds with cusped top corners, and moulded cornice plus panelled frieze above. To either side there are four plain sashes in similar surrounds with returned hoodmoulds. Above there are four similar windows to either side of the canted bay window, which has similar sashes to those below. It also has embattled parapets with raised central piece, decorated with Harrington crest, over a moulded cornice with ball flowers and corner gargoyles. Above again there are nine similar, smaller sashes. Centre bays have plain frieze above with three panels carved with heraldic devices, and a blind cusped panelled frieze above again. Embattled parapets over are flanked by small castellated turrets and have stepped central section crowned by a rampant lion finial and decorated with a Harrington achievement. Attached to north side of this elevation is a lower wing which has 2-light recessed and chamfered mullion windows with four- centred arched light and returned hoodmoulds. Similar windows to north and west elevations, except rendered part which has plain recessed and chamfered C17 style windows. Interior has C17 panelling to two eastern rooms on ground floor, that to centre with a splendid three tiered gilded overmantle, decorated with strapwork, coats of arms and painted figures. Gothick Hall, by James Wyatt, has rib vaulted ceiling supported by clustered and columns with foliage capitals, and wall niches with cusped crocketed canopies, also with traceried doors and wall mirrors and a large stone fireplace in similar style. The whole room is richly gilded and painted in gothick style. The main hall is c1900 in C18 style with pedimented doorcases, metal balustrade to cantilevered stone staircase and a panelled ceiling with central lantern. South-east room , behind 1633 facade, has C18 panelling with dado rail and carved cornice. In the room above there is C17 panelling and there its more C18 panelling to other first floor rooms. Upper south-east room has ornate plasterwork in the 1633 canted bay window. Above the Gothick Hall is another Gothick style room. Kitchens to north- west corner have a massive medieval style hooded fireplace and four-centred arched cupboards and doors. Upper rooms have all been gutted. Over the main hall above the lantern is a late C19 cast iron orchid house with decorative pierced iron trusses and a C18 style balustrade with the initial 'H' to each of the panel. Sources see Derbyshire Life and Countryside, Vol 28, Issue 1, Pg 36, and Vol 35, Issue 2, Pg 34 and County Life, January 1899.

Listing NGR: SK4078533004

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

83000

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Derbyshire Life and Countryside in Derbyshire Life and Countryside, (1951), 36
Derbyshire Life and Countryside in Derbyshire Life and Countryside, (1951), 34
Country Life in January, (1899)

Other
Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England, Part 10 Derbyshire,

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