Mitford Hall And Attached Screen Wall

A country house dating to circa 1800-1823, largely designed by John Dobson for the Mitford family. The house is constructed of ashlar, with Lakeland slate roofs, except for Welsh slates covering the north-west wing. Originally comprising a villa with twin domestic wings to the north, the north-east wing was partially demolished in 1970.

The west front (the main entrance front) is divided into two parts, with the main house exhibiting symmetry. The main house is two storeys high with three bays, the central bay slightly recessed. It features a moulded plinth and a first floor string course. A flight of three steps leads to a central Greek Doric porch, distyle in antis, with a panelled stone ceiling. Within the porch are half-glazed double doors, with an overlight of two panes, set within a raised surround topped with a dentil cornice. The windows are 12-pane sashes, with sunk panels below the sills. The facade is finished with a frieze and a bold cornice below a panelled parapet, with balustraded sections above each bay. A hipped roof is topped by two transverse stepped-and-corniced ridge stacks. To the left, set back, is a lower two-storey wing with five bays. This wing has a plinth and eaves cornice, with 16-pane sash windows. The projecting bay to the left has an 8-pane casement window and a hipped roof, and there are two tall rendered stepped-and-corniced ridge stacks.

The four-bay south front shows similar detailing. The east front has a main house of five bays, with the central three bays slightly recessed and the ground floor windows of the end bays set in architraves. A lower four-bay wing projects to the right. Further right, a two-bay screen wall returns to connect with the now-separate east wing.

The interior includes an entrance lobby featuring mural tables on moulded brackets and a Classical frieze depicting figures. An open-well staircase has a moulded and wreathed handrail, wrought-iron balusters with a drooping lily motif, fluted newel and curtail step. The stair hall contains a dog wheel from Mitford Old Manor House and a coffered ceiling. Two drawing rooms are divided by a screen with antae and carved consoles. The fireplaces are carved from marble and crinoidal limestone, with coved cornices displaying anthemia and Greek key ornament. The dining room has a fireplace made of crinoidal limestone and a Classical frieze depicting musicians. The study includes an elaborate fireplace with herms, a plaster overmantel with allegorical figures, a cornice with consoles, and a large ceiling rose. The house retains panelled shutters and six-panel doors, formerly centre-hinged.