Nunnykirk Hall

NUNNYKIRK NUNNYKIRK NZ 09 SE 13/54 Nunnykirk Hall

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Country house, now a school. 1825 by John Dobson for William Orde. Ashlar with Lakeland slate roof. Greek Revival style.

Entrance front: 2 storeys, 5 broad bays. Centre and outer bays break forward slightly. In centre bay a large Ionic porte-cochere, with 2 columns in antis, set against a loggia of 3 pairs of Ionic columns which spans centre 3 bays. Whole front has banded rustication which breaks to form voussoirs over ground floor openings. 12- and 6-pane sashes. Cornice and parapet with panels carved with scrolls, palmettes and anthemia. Hipped roof.

Large L-plan, 3-storey, 6-bay service wing to right has 30-pane sashes on ground and 1st floor, 16-pane sashes above.

Garden front: 3-storey, 6-bay centre with projecting 2-storey one-bay wings. The centre has similar banded rustication which is echoed in the angle pilasters of the wings. Single-storey loggia of 4 Ionic columns in antis. Full-length 12-pane sashes on ground floor. Wood cross windows on 1st floor and 6-pane sashes above. 2nd floor sill string, palmette frieze, dentil cornice and panelled parapet with scrolls. Projecting wings have full-length tripartite windows on ground floor and shorter tripartite windows above. Parapets with scrolls and palmettes.

On south front a large 2-storey, 3-bay bow window.

Interior: Central hall has coffered dome with glazed drum,rosettes in the panels; at each end coffered segmental vaults with scrolled edges, frieze of alternating palmettes and anthemia; stone balcony with cast-iron balustrade which has lion masks and palmette frieze. Staircase, with similar balustrade, is semicircular around screen of 2 Corinthian columns; frieze with Greek figures. Drawing room has reticulated ceiling with flowers at intersections, scrolled border and Greek key frieze; white marble fireplace with high relief eagle and snake in lintel; large gilded pelmet with an eagle. Dining room has coffered ceiling, each panel in frame of palmettes, frieze with palmettes and cornucopia. Library shelves have Corinthian colonettes and enriched cyma- moulded cornice. Excellent woodwork throughout principal rooms with doors and shutters veneered in a variety of native and foreign woods.

Country Life: Feb. 17th 1966.

Listing NGR: NZ0809692626