Bramall Hall

Bramall Hall

Bramall Hall is a great house of outstanding architectural importance, begun in the 14th century as an open hall house for Alice and John Davenport. It has been substantially altered and enlarged over subsequent centuries, most notably in the late 16th century when William and Dorothy Davenport inserted a floor and added a long gallery as a third storey (the gallery was later removed), and again in the 1880s when C. Neville commissioned architect George Faulkner Armitage to undertake further alterations and additions.

The building is timber-framed on a stone plinth with a graduated stone slate roof and brick chimney stacks. The plan was formerly quadrangular, though no evidence remains of the west side. It is generally two storeys plus attics. The main front elevation comprises five bays with north and south wings projecting by three bays. The stone plinth supports an overhanging first floor with coved jetty and coved eaves. Bay 1 is a gabled crosswing that projects as far as the two-storey gabled porch in bay 2. Bays 3 and 4 (the great hall) have gablets, all of 19th-century date, flanking a polygonal two-storey bay. Bays 3, 4 and 5 contain continuous glazing on the ground floor with moulded timber mullion and transom windows in runs of up to 14 lights with leaded panes. A decorated framed band runs at first floor cill level, and bays 1 to 4 are continuously glazed at first floor level.

The 15th-century south (solar) wing is close-studded, each floor having a mid-rail and the first floor featuring curved diagonal braces. It displays three 6-light mullion and transom ground floor windows, two 4-light traceried ogee-headed mullion windows on the first floor, and a fine ornate oriel window above a carved panel and angelic corbel. An octagonal bell-cote sits on the roof.

The north wing, said to contain some of the oldest timbers, is similarly framed and has a 3-light window on each floor in each bay. The framing has been plastered over. The east elevation has eight bays with nearly as many gables. A two-storey porch is flanked on the left by a large projecting chimney stack serving the great hall, which also features a 7-light mullion and transom window, an oriel and gable above. Beyond that the library and chapel bays project to varying degrees. The crosswing displays two superimposed gables, and the gabled north wing is jettied at first floor. The decorative panelling is varied, using numerous shapes within square and diagonally set panels. All gables are decorated differently, with projecting heavily enriched carved bressumer beams, carved bargeboards and finials. Five chimney stacks feature clustered moulded brick shafts.

Interior

The great hall retains in its bay window a remnant of the former pendant ceiling, a heavy oak door with wicket gate, and remains of one arched service wing door. Painted 16th-century glass with the Davenport arms survives, together with roundels depicting Roman gods.

The chapel, dating from the early 16th century and restored in 1938, displays heavily moulded timber columns, curved braces and beams, and traceried timber mullioned lights in the north wall. It contains a pre-Reformation wall painting of the Passion, and in the south chamber, work by Nevill and early 16th-century painted glazing of the Crucifixion.

The 16th-century banqueting room has its south and west walls rebuilt. It features heavily moulded posts, braces and primary beams which, together with secondary beams, create a square grid. Traces of early 16th-century wall painting remain.

The solar contains two cambered tie beam inclined strut trusses with carved arch braces, and tiers of cusped windbracing creating a quatrefoil motif. Wall paintings covering the north and east walls, dating to around 1610, are well preserved.

The Chapel room ceiling is largely 19th-century work incorporating Pugin-designed furniture. The Paradise room has good late 16th-century plasterwork frieze with Molyneux arms and vine and strapwork motifs.

The withdrawing room, above the great hall, features a good plaster pendant ceiling, armorial frieze, and a large stucco chimney piece with elaborate caryatids.

Bramall Hall is regarded by Pevsner as one of the four best timber-framed mansions in England.