Stapleford Hall With Adjoining Service Wings And Orangery

Stapleford Hall with Adjoining Service Wings and Orangery

Stapleford Hall is a grand country house with adjoining service wings and an orangery, representing four centuries of architectural development. The north wing was built for Thomas Sherard around 1500, then repaired and remodelled in 1633 by William and Abigail Sherard. The main H-plan range was constructed for Bennet Sherard around 1670, and subsequently refenestrated and remodelled by the 4th Earl Harborough around 1776. An orangery was added to the west around 1820. In 1894-98, architect Micklethwaite undertook substantial alterations for John Gretton, filling the central courtyard with a Jacobean-style range and adding a service wing to the north.

The building is constructed of ashlar with hipped and gabled stone slate roofs, featuring eleven grouped corniced stone stacks. The main structure comprises two storeys plus attics, nine bays wide by seven bays deep, with a square plan and wings extending to the north and west.

The main range, dating from around 1670, displays projecting quoins, a pulvinated first floor band, an eaves band, and deep modillioned eaves. The main east front has a central panelled ashlar doorcase with scrolled brackets and a broken segmental pediment, containing a moulded six-panel door and glazing bar overlight. This is flanked on each side by four glazing bar sashes with moulded architraves. The first floor has nine similar sashes, and above these are three segmental-headed dormers, each containing a cross casement.

The north side, which was the former entrance court, features an off-centre doorcase with scroll brackets to a broken segmental pediment containing a draped crest. A tall glazing bar sash now replaces the original door. To its left are four glazing bar sashes, and to the right, two, all with moulded architraves. Above the door is a similar sash with a more heavily moulded eared architrave, with the eaves stepped above it, flanked to the left by four and to the right by three glazing bar sashes. Above these are three dormers, each with a cross casement. Beyond, to the left, is a projecting single-bay wing with a glazing bar sash and above it a wooden cross casement. In the return angle there is a single sash to each floor.

The symmetrical west front, seven bays wide, has six wooden cross casements and a French window on the ground floor. The first floor has seven wooden cross casements, and above these are three dormers with segmental heads and two-light casements.

The late 19th-century south front has a projecting balustraded seven-bay centre with a central two-storey square bay window topped by a shaped balustraded gable containing a sundial and inscription. The bay window features a central triple cross-mullioned casement. On each side beyond the bay window is a three-light cross-mullioned casement flanked by single two-light cross-mullioned casements, with single round-headed niches between the windows. The first floor has similar fenestration with taller windows. The bay window has a cross-mullioned casement in each side on each floor. Beyond again, on each side, is a late 17th-century wing, each containing a glazing bar sash on each floor.

The three-bay north wing features to the east a moulded plinth and first floor band, a coved band with bosses and a frieze of shields, and moulded eaves bearing the inscription 'William Lord Sherard Baron of Letrym repayred this Buylding Anno Domini 1633'. The ground floor has two double lancets with flat heads and hood moulds. Between them is a triple figurative panel flanked on each side by four shields and beyond by single figurative panels. Above is a central remodelled four-light lancet with flat head and hood mould, surmounted by three crocketed gables. Beyond, on each side, are three crocketed niches containing figures. Further beyond on each side is a double lancet with flat head and hood mould. Beyond again, on each side, are three crocketed niches with figures. The six figures and niches to the right date from around 1500, while the six to the left date from 1633. Above again are three cross-eaves dormers with triangular pediments on volutes, each containing a niche with a figure and each with a double lancet.

Beyond, to the left, is a two-storey square extruded corner dating from around 1500, with a moulded parapet decorated with fleurons. On each floor on each side is a triple lancet with flat head and hood mould. Above each upper window is a figurative panel. The north end has a pedimented shaped gable with finial, on volutes. The centre features a paired cusped double lancet with flat head and hood mould, above which is a triple figurative panel. Above this is a similar paired double lancet, above which is a figurative panel flanked by single smaller panels. Above again is a triple lancet with flat head and hood mould, surmounted by a figurative panel with foliate bracket and a crest.

Beyond, to the right, is a two-storey range raised in the late 19th century, with a projecting central bay containing a pointed doorway with flat hood mould. Beyond, to the right, is a paired double lancet with hood mould, above which is a six-fold relief panel. The first floor has three late 19th-century double lancets with flat hoods.

The west side of the north wing has an area with coped balustrade. To the right are three buttresses, the central one being shorter. The ground floor has four stone cross-mullioned casements, the first floor has five cross-mullioned casements, and above are four cross-eaves gabled dormers with shoulders and obelisk finials, each containing a three-light cross-mullioned casement. Beyond, to the left, is a 19th-century lean-to addition with a cross-mullioned casement, coped parapet, and a frieze bearing a Latin inscription.

The northern service wing, built in 1898, is nine bays in an L-plan, with two moulded string courses and a wavy coped parapet with ball finials. The east side features a re-set carriage opening from around 1633, with a moulded elliptical head, flanking Tuscan columns and a hood mould with a frieze of shields, flanked on each side by two four-light lancets with hood moulds. Above the carriage opening is a cross-mullioned casement flanked on each side by four similar casements. Above again is a central segmental pediment dated 1898.

The west side has an off-centre two-storey porch with a scrolled pedimented gable and moulded elliptical arch with hood mould and three shields, flanked by single lean-to covered ways. Above, the porch has two chamfered casements and above them, a clock. Beyond on each side are two cross-mullioned casements. The north side has three triple lancets and above, four cross casements.

The western service wing has to the south in the basement a Tudor-arched doorway and two 19th-century mullioned casements. Above are two recesses with segmental heads, the right one containing a mullioned casement. Above again is a central chamfered casement with hood mould. Beyond, to the left, is a four-bay section raised in the late 19th century. This has a recessed two-bay centre with flanking wings topped by shaped gables. On each floor are four paired cross-mullioned casements.

Beyond again, to the left, is the orangery, dating from the early 19th century. This has a central round-headed doorway with above it a Diocletian window, flanked on each side by two full-height wooden glazing bar lights. The coped west gable has a large central French window with overlight.

The interior was possibly designed by John Webb around 1670, remodelled around 1776, and again in 1898. The eastern entrance hall has to the west a late 18th-century Classical marble fireplace with swagged central panel. To its left is a moulded doorcase with a broken pediment. The east end has a three-bay round-arched Ionic arcade. The west end has a late 17th-century doorcase with a late 20th-century pediment. The late 18th-century panelled ceiling has a central roundel containing high-relief figures. There is an Adam-style cornice.

The ante room to the south has late 17th-century decoration, with arch-topped eared and shouldered wall panels, two doorcases with eared architraves and high-relief foliate friezes with broken segmental pediments, an 18th-century Classical marble fireplace with fruit-swagged overmantel, and palmette cornice.

The dining room, dating from the late 19th century, has to east and west a central re-sited late 17th-century doorcase with broken segmental pediment, enriched wall panelling, and to the south a central stone fireplace from the late 18th century with carved wooden overmantel attributed to Gibbons, all flanked by single enriched Corinthian pilasters. The ceiling is mid-20th-century banded plaster.

The late 17th-century panelled sitting room has a moulded cornice and early 19th-century Classical fireplace. The 19th-century panelled music room, to the south, has to the north a recess with Ionic columns containing a rococo-style marble fireplace. The 19th-century library has fitted bookshelves and to east and west a concealed door. It contains a wooden Classical fireplace with flanking columns.

The central 19th-century staircase hall has mahogany panelling, pedimented doorcases, and a dogleg stair with intermediate landings and gallery, square newels and bulbous balusters, all in late 17th-century style. Above, to the south, is a three-bay elliptical-arched arcade.

The 19th-century service hall, to the west, has to the north a very large Baroque-style black and white marble fireplace with scroll brackets. The west end has a three-bay round-arched arcade. The south and east sides each have, to the left, a passageway with moulded panelled barrel vault. The east and west ends have, above, a three-bay round-headed arcade.

The late 18th-century former kitchen has an early 19th-century vault with square central pier and to north and south a depressed four-centred arched fireplace opening.

The late 19th-century first floor gallery has two 18th-century marble fireplaces, the one to the west with figure brackets, attributed to John Michael Rysbrack.

Stapleford Park belonged from 1402 to the Sherard family, who became Barons of Leitrim in 1627 and Earls of Harborough in 1718. The title expired in 1859. The estate was bought in 1885 by James Hornsby and in 1894 by John Gretton, who carried out much alteration and new building. His son, who succeeded in 1899, subsequently became Lord Gretton. The house was sold in 1986 to John Payton and is being converted into a hotel.