Swarland Old Hall

NEWTON-ON-THE-MOOR SWARLAND NU 10 SE 6/209 Swarland Old Hall GV II*

Manor House, in the style of the third quarter of the C17 possibly by Robert Trollope but with doorhead dated 173 ..., incorporating older fabric; right return remodelled as screen wall in late C18; rear wing extension and outshuts C18, altered in C19. Front and screen wall squared stone, other elevations rubble; cut dressings. Pantile roofs except for Welsh slates on extension and outshuts; stacks rebuilt in C20 brick. Plan: front block with end outshuts and shorter parallel rear wing, extended to west.

South elevation: 2 storeys + attic, 4 narrow bays. Right-of-centre flush- panelled door in wave-moulded surround; frieze with triglyphs, masks and worn, relief-carved date panel; cornice over. Former cross windows have renewed 20-pane sashes on ground floor and paired 8-pane casements above, in cable-moulded surrounds under semicircular pediments, those on 1st floor with carved keystones. Central early C20 gabled wood dormers with paired 4-pane casements. Coped left gable on moulded kneelers; left end stack. Single-storey outshuts to left, with paired 4-pane casements, and right, with paired 6-pane casements.

Right return shows 6-pane sash set in older chamfered surround, itself set within an earlier doorway; cross window above. Upper part of return is a tall stepped embattled screen wall with 3 large blind Gothick arches above a band, and a reset moulded window head with a worn inscription; further left is a stone shield with a carved heron. Left return: front block shows blocked chamfered window now within outshut. Left gable end of rear wing extension has two 8-pane Yorkshire sashes and a 4-pane sash above; behind it the taller gable end of the wing shows a chamfered attic window and an older steeper roofline, with reverse-stepped blocks, beneath the present coping. Rear shows 4-pane sash to stair, and paired 4-pane sashes above.

Interior: Ground-floor front shows old cornice in dining room and late C18 fireplace with contemporary ironwork in bedroom. Fielded-panel doors; round arch with panelled jambs to stair in rear wing: dog-leg to 1st floor, openwell to attic; cut strings, stick balusters, and ramped handrail. East bedroom has wood bolection-moulded fireplace surround with cornice. Upper cruck roofs: trusses concealed above collar level.

Historical notes: Swarland was the seat of die Heslerigg family from the C14 until the early C18. The rear wing west wall, 0.4 metre thick may have been part of a C16 or early C17 strong house. The date of remodelling is puzzling; the house being ascribed to Robert Trollope but the doorhead date is half a century after his death; it may refer to a change of ownership.

Single-storey flat-roofed C20 extension on north is not of interest.

Listing NGR: NU1597701928