Reasons for Designation
REASONS FOR DESIGNATION DECISION
The boundary walls to Fretherne Court are recommended for listing at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* A very substantial length of highly architectural estate walls dating from the middle of the C19
* The inclusion of good quality, decorated gatepiers and an impressive entrance way
* The walls as they stand represent the entire length of the original estate boundary to the roadsides, with the remainder being defined only by hedgelines
* Their association with the former Fretherne Court, one of the most significant country houses in the area
* The brick walls to the western boundary are of some significance as they represent the rear boundary of the estate, but are not of special interest in the national context
Details
1771/0/10030
23-JAN-08
FRETHERNE WITH SAUL
FRETHERNE LANE
WALL TO FORMER FRETHERNE COURT
FRAMILODE LANE
WALL TO FORMER FRETHERNE COURT
II
Walls, gatepiers and entrance to the former Fretherne Court estate, dating from c.1853.
MATERIALS: The walls are constructed of squared and coursed limestone with a rubble core, with monolithic limestone ashlar gatepiers and limestone double copings.
EXTERIOR: The stone wall, the majority of which is around 1.75 - 2m high and set on a moulded plinth, extends around 750 metres along Fretherne Lane, and terminates in a single pier at the eastern end, and at the western end, turning the corner into the lane to Framilode, runs into a continuation in brick with coped top. The stone wall has a pier at the corner of Fretherne Lane and the lane to Framilode, and a few metres to the east, another similar which was formerly one of a pair flanking a pedestrian entrance to Fretherne Court, allowing access over the road and immediately into the churchyard of St Mary's church opposite. The second pier of this pair survives only as a plinth. These piers, which are around 2.5m high, of square section and have moulded sunken panels with arched tops and bottoms to each side, with elaborate moulded caps which have a segmental arched pediment to each face, forming a shallow domed top. The terminal pier at the eastern end of the wall is similar, and retains its original urn finial with foliate decoration. The wall continues on a serpentine line along the lane until it reaches the entrance to Fretherne Court, which is defined by sweeping quadrant walls with central niches and pairs of piers. The piers are square section and have moulded sunken panels to each face, with a floral motif to the upper section and a stepped cap. The curved walls have stepped and scrolled motifs and the arched top, central niches break upwards to a height of around 2m. Beyond this entrance, further to the east, another pair of gate piers defines a second entrance to the estate; these are of similar height but of a simpler design, incorporating the monogram of Sir William Lionel Darell on a strapwork panel, and are set back from the road with a short sweeping curve to the wall.
HISTORY: Fretherne has no established village, but is instead a dispersed hamlet set along the roadside. In the mid-C19, Sir William Lionel Darell (Baronet, d.1883), whose family had made a large fortune as tea plantation owners in India, bought up a significant part of the land in the Fretherne, Framilode and Saul area of the Severn Vale. He became an important local figure, particularly after he became Rector of the parish of Fretherne and Saul in 1844. During his time as Rector, he financed and oversaw the building of two new churches, St Mary in Fretherne (1847) and St Peter in Upper Framilode (1853-4), both of which were designed in elaborate Victorian style by Francis Niblett. Sir William inherited his baronetcy in 1853, and it was probably at this time that he built himself an extraordinary house, Fretherne Court. Unfortunately the house was sold in 1919 and largely demolished in 1924, but is recorded in a few photographs and prints. It was a flamboyant Italianate confection by an unknown architect, described in the Victoria County History as "a house of unusual size and splendour". The boundary walls would have been erected at the same time as the house was built, around the middle of the C19.
REASONS FOR DESIGNATION DECISION:
The boundary walls to Fretherne Court are recommended for listing at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* A very substantial length of highly architectural estate walls dating from the middle of the C19
* The inclusion of good quality, decorated gatepiers and an impressive entrance way
* The walls as they stand represent the entire length of the original estate boundary to the roadsides, with the remainder being defined only by hedgelines
* Their association with the former Fretherne Court, one of the most significant country houses in the area
* The brick walls to the western boundary are of some significance as they represent the rear boundary of the estate, but are not of special interest in the national context
