Mitford Hall And Attached Screen Wall

MITFORD MITFORD HALL NZ 1685 9/30 Mitford Hall and attached screen wall 6.5.52 GV II* Country House. c.1800-1823 for the Mitford family, largely by John Dobson. Ashlar with graduated Lakeland slate roofs, except for Welsh slates on north- west wing. Villa with twin domestic wings to north, north-east wing partly demolished 1970.

West (entrance) front in 2 parts: main house symmetrical. 2 storeys, 3 bays, the central slightly recessed. Moulded plinth, 1st floor string. 3 steps up to central Greek Doric porch, distyle in antis, with panelled stone ceiling; within porch half-glazed double doors, with 2-pane overlight, in raised surround with dentil cornice. 12-pane sash windows with sunk panels below sills. Frieze and bold cornice below panelled parapet with balustraded section above each bay. Hipped roof with 2 transverse stepped-and-corniced compound ridge stacks. Lower wing, set back to left, 2 storeys, 5 bays. Plinth, eaves cornice. 16-pane sash windows except for 8-pane casements in projecting left bay with hipped roof. 2 tall rendered stepped-and-corniced ridge stacks.

4-bay south front with similar detail. East front: main house 5 bays, the central 3 slightly recessed and the end bay ground floor windows in architraves. Lower 4-bay wing to right. At far right a 2-bay screen wall returns to link with the now-separate east wing (q.v.).

Interior: Entrance lobby with mural tables on moulded brackets, and Classical frieze With figures. Open-well open-string stair with moulded and wreathed handrail, wrought- iron balusters with drooping lily motif, fluted newel and curtail step; stair hall has dog wheel from Mitford Old Manor House (q.v.) and coffered ceiling. Double drawing room divided by screen with antae and carved consoles; carved fireplaces of marble and crinoidal limestone, coved cornice with anthemia and Greek key ornament. Dining room has crinoidal limestone fireplace and Classical frieze with musicians. Study has elaborate fireplace with herms, and plaster overmantel with allegorical figures; cornice with consoles, large ceiling rose. Panelled shutters; 6-panel doors, formerly centre-hinged.

Listing NGR: NZ1647685457