Culverthorpe Hall

Culverthorpe Hall is a country house built for the Newton family, dating from the late 17th century with significant additions around 1700, 1734–40. William and Edward Stanton probably carried out the circa 1700 alterations, and Robert Morris may have designed the circa 1735 alterations for Sir Michael Newton. The building is constructed of limestone ashlar with slate roofs and lead dressings.

The house is planned as a square of 5 bays with flanking wings added later. The main 17th-century block rises to 3 storeys with a basement and has a hipped roof crowned by 2 large panelled ashlar ridge stacks with moulded cornices. The building features a tall chamfered plinth, a plain ground floor cill band, and a dentillated cornice at third floor level that marks the original eaves line before an attic storey was added in the 18th century. The attic storey has a plain parapet supporting orbs.

The basement service level contains single tripartite plain sashes at either end beneath semi-circular arches, and pairs of glazing bar sashes in plain ashlar surrounds to the centre. The principal entrance on the front elevation is a central semi-circular headed glazed door approached by a flight of 12 steps with ashlar handrails. The door has a moulded head and imposts with a keyblock bearing a face mask, and is set in an advanced porch with paired Ionic pillars supporting a bucrania frieze, dentillated cornice, and open balustrade. To either side are single semi-circular headed niches containing 19th-century lamps with single paterae above. Flanking the door are pairs of glazing bar sashes with moulded architraves and plain pediments supported on scrolled brackets. The first floor has 5 similar windows with architraves and bracketed cornices; the central window has a deeply swept surround. In the attic storey are 5 small square plain sashes, each with moulded and eared architraves and plain aprons.

To either side of the main block are added wings, also featuring plinths, dentillated cornices, and balustrades. Each has a hipped roof and a single obelisk stack with plain bands. The centre of each wing contains a single glazing bar Venetian window with Ionic pilasters and dummy balustrade. Above are circular Classical panels, now considerably weathered. The sides of the wings are 2 storeys and 4 bays, with glazing bar sashes to each floor having moulded architraves and bracketed cornices. Pairs of Ionic pilasters mark the position of intended wings.

The garden front displays glazing bar sashes in moulded architraves; those on the ground floor also have moulded cornices. At the centre is a boldly projecting stair bay of circa 1700 with rusticated quoins, bracketed cornice, and parapet containing a balustraded central opening and supporting obelisk finials. The central glazed door has a fluted Ionic surround and moulded cornice, and is approached by 4 ashlar steps. Above is a tall glazing bar sash stair light with scrolled base, pendant fruit swags, and a panel of flowers and fruit above.

The interior retains a fine dog leg staircase of circa 1700 with 3 twisted balusters to each tread, panelled risers, and a spacious open well. The principal hall has a tripartite plan divided by 2 screens of paired fluted Corinthian columns. It features a richly dentillated cornice, full height raised and fielded panelling, and 6 panelled doors. The drawing room is fitted with finely panelled and corniced ceiling, full height panelling, acanthus swags, and a handsome white marble chimneypiece decorated with mask, draperies, scallops, and formal wreaths. The dining room contains a short section of screen matching that of the hall, together with full height panelling and elaborately decorated cornices and overdoors. The present service stair belongs to the late 17th-century house and has reset interlacing openwork panels.