Wythenshawe Hall

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 21/10/2016

SJ 88 NW, 698-1/11/551

MANCHESTER, WYTHENSHAWE PARK, Brooklands, Wythenshawe Hall

25/02/52

GV

II*

Manor house (seat of the Tatton family of Wythenshawe); now museum and art gallery. Earlier C16, altered in C17, partly re-built c.1797, enlarged in earlier C19 and further altered in later C19. Timber frame and brick, with green slate roofs. U-plan formed by hall-range flanked by projecting wings, with porch in right-hand angle and oriel in left-hand angle; plus later additions to ends and rear. The C16 portion is all 2-storeyed, the 3-bay hall range and its gabled porch and oriel higher than the wings; all of post-and-stud construction with herringbone bracing, the upper floors and gables jettied to the front, and all the gables with projected wall plates which have pendants (those of the porch and oriel elaborately carved), bressummers and bargeboards with rich running-vine carving, and apex finials. The porch has a Tudor-arched doorway with carved lintel, a band of quatrefoils over the jetty, and a 6-light mullion-and-transom window at 1st floor; the hall has a large 12-light transomed window on each floor; and the oriel has transomed windows of 6 lights at ground floor and 8 lights above. Both wings have canted mullion-and-transom bay windows at ground floor (probably C19), transomed 6-light windows above, the re-entrant of the north wing has a 4-light mullioned window at 1st floor and the return side of the south wing has an external chimney stack. All these windows have leaded glazing, some in original diamond pane form and some with larger honeycomb-pattern panes (probably C19). Early C19 addition attached to the right-hand side of the north wing, 3 bays, with gabled centre which has a very large mullion-and-transom window at ground floor, and cross-windows elsewhere. Further addition to north of this. Rear: brick, with sashed windows. INTERIOR: hall with remodelled Jacobean-style decoration (dated 1871-72 on beam of oriel window); early C19 library; fine open-well staircase with alternately twisted balusters. The principal feature of interest is the drawing-room over the hall, which has a C17 internal porch; remains of C16 painted "panelling" now exposed on the north end wall, with an elaborate painted frieze including shields and Bacchanalian figures, fronds, roses, etc; and very elaborate early C17 panelling to the other walls, including a dado with fluted Ionic pilasters, a moulded cornice to this, a band of carved round-headed arches with fluted pilasters, recessed panels over these with fluted Ionic pilasters, and a strap-work frieze; and coffered panelled overmantel; all this panelling with geometric fret inlay.

Listing NGR: SJ8160489825