Startforth Hall

NZ 0415 STARTFORTH HIGH STARTFORTH (South side)

12/175 Startforth Hall

12.1.67

GV II

Substantial House. C16 or early C17, remodelled with present front 1747 for Feilding family; north-west wing converted in early C19 from outbuilding. Stone, rendered and pebbledashed, with cut dressings; graduated stone slate roofs. Plan: main block has 3 gabled wings to rear, the northern longer and linking to north-west wing.

East elevation: 2 storeys on basement plinth, 5 bays, symmetrical, with set- back 2-bay right wing. 4 steps with moulded nosings, the lower with curtails, up to central old half-glazed door in eared and shouldered architrave with pulvinated frieze, cornice and open pediment: Feilding arms and motto 'JE VIES EN ESPRANCE' within. 12-pane sash windows in architraves. Coped gables on corniced footstones; stepped-and-corniced end and ridge stacks. Wing has 2-panel door in raised stone surround; 16-pane sash on right and 12-pane sashes above, all with tooled-and-margined lintels and sills. Coped right gable, and end stack.

Right return shows cellar opening in architrave; rear wing has tripartite sash and 1st floor 12-pane sash in architrave. Left return shows renewed 12-pane sash on ground floor and 2 chamfered attic lights. Rear wing has similar windows.

3-gabled rear elevation: centre part shows small chamfered window below Venetian stair window, with radial head, in stone surround. Other 12-pane sashes and two 2-light chamfered mullioned windows in gables. Old fluted lead rainwater head.

Interior: Entrance hall has Tuscan screen dated 1747, moulded cornice, guilloche dado rail and tiled floor with Feilding motto. Drawing room with re-set C17 panelling. Kitchen, in rear wing, has large chamfered segmental fireplace. Open-well cut-string stair with column-on-vase balusters, moulded and fluted newel, wreathed and ramped handrail, and curtail step.

Stair hall has panelled dado, stair window with classical detail, segmental arch on stairhead and ceiling cornice with egg-and-dart. Central bedroom has doorcase with eared architrave, pulvinated frieze and broken pediment; fireplace with pedimented overmantel. South bedroom has more re-set C17 panelling.

Cellar, partly barrel-vaulted, with old brick wine bins.

Listing NGR: NZ0446915784