Ashwell Hall (East Wing And West Leigh)

ASHWELL

SK 81 SE OAKHAM ROAD (East side)

6/20 Ashwell Hall (East Wing and West Leigh)

GV II

Large country house of 1879, now divided into 2. Built for the gunmaker Westley Richards. Coursed squared ironstone with limestone quoins and dressings, stone coped gables with kneelers, and slate roof with 4 ridge and 2 end stacks of 2-6 grouped flues. Flues are a feature being octagonal of mostly ashlar but small part coursed rubble stone as contrast and have linked battlemented tops. House is of 2½ storeys in Gothic/Elizabethan style with 2 bands, finials on gables and stone mullion windows, mostly 1/1 sashes, some with Tudor arches to wooden frames. Entrance front of irregular composition. 4 gables grouped in centre with side stacks and further gable at back to left. Mostly 2 and 3-light windows. In each of 2 centre gables a large mullion and transom window of 9 lights. Entrance to West Leigh in right return of this section: 2 leaved door under Tudor arch up stone staircase of 10 steps with quatrefoils in stone balustrade. Stained glass in some. Further small hipped roof section to left of the 4 gables and entrance to East Wing in 1½ storey section on left end. An arcade of 3 arches to front and 1 to left on corner leads to stone steps and door. 2½-dormers over. 2 further ½-hipped dormers on main roof. On right end a door and further 2-light; windows, the fine end stack being of G flues. Rear front: to garden of 7 gables, 2 projecting of 2½ storeys, 5 of ¼-dormer windows. Stone panels with quatrefoils and stone shields in most gables and 2 and 3-light windows. Large curved stone mullion bay window ground floor left. On main roof 3½-hipped dormers of 2-lights with top lights. Battlemented guttering. Oak staircase inside with ogee topped battlemented finials to angle posts and round balusters with spiral banding.

Listing NGR: SK8697412915