Manor House With Attached Courtyard Wall At Rear

WHALTON WHALTON VILLAGE NZ 1381 (North side) 12/163 Manor House with attached courtyard 28.4.69 wall at rear (formerly listed as Whalton Manor House) G.V. II - House formed from Old Whalton Manor, C17-C18, and 3 attached cottages remodelled and extended by Lorrimer in late C19, Whalton Mansion 1729, now a separate residence known as West Manor House (q.v.) and a linking range of 1908-9, with further internal remodelling, by Sir Edwin Lutyens for Mrs. Eustace Smith. Squared stone except for 1908-9 part, ashlar with some rock-faced stone to rear and original Manor, rubble with cut dressings; stone slate roofs. Plan: long range fronting the road with rear wing near the east end.

South elevation 2 storeys, in 4 sections. 5-bay left end part is now West Manor House (q.v.). Lutyens' link block 3 wide bays: plinth. Right bay has panelled double doors under elliptical arch, flanked by half-glazed double doors under raised lintels with stepped keystones; raised impost band. Three 18-pane sash windows above with similar lintels, shaped aprons, raised blocks between and sunk panels above. Bays to left each have tripartite window, with metal-framed casments, beneath heavy canted oriels with moulded bases, small-paned sash windows, moulded cornices and broader weather-boarded panels, above. Large panelled and ornamented ridge and right end stacks. Lower 6-bay part to right, former cottages, has 3 central French windows with fluted heads to doorframes, and 12-pane sash windows. 5-bay part, original Manor, to far right has central doorway in architrave with metope frieze and dentilled pedimented hood on consoles; 12-pane sashes. Coped gables with moulded kneelers; stepped-and- corniced ridge and right end stacks.

Rear elevation: entrance bay, with similar detail to front, flanked by quadrant- shaped stair projections, rock-faced except for ashlar above a chamfered set- back near eaves level. Semi-conical roofs; the whole reminiscent of an Edwardian castle gatehouse. The projections are linked by a wall with a heavy square coping and 2 gateways having piers with moulded caps, enclosing an oval courtyard with stone setts laid in concentric fashion. To left, rear wing of 10 irregular bays with 12-pane sash windows.

Interior: 3-bay aisled groin-vaulted carriage entrance. Stone-walled baroque entrance hall with Gibbs surrounds to doorways and large moulded fireplace, from which a stone winder stair, with ribbed barrel vault, leads to a landing and an added long gallery overlooking courtyard. On first floor anteroom has deeply-coved matt black ceiling and windmap; circular bedroom (former dining room) has high domed ceiling and is said to be a model for the Viceroy's throne room at New Delhi. High-quality baroque-style woodwork throughout the Lutyens section, and 2 bathrooms with impressive contemporary fittings. Further east the Oak Room (former library) has Lorrimer frieze, and panelling said to be from Benton Church.

Listing NGR: NZ1324281447