Kingston Hall

Kingston Hall is a large country house now divided into several houses, located on the east side of Gotham Road in Kingston on Soar. Built between 1842 and 1846 by architect Edward Blore for Edward Strutt, who later became Lord Belper, the building was altered around 1977.

The house is constructed of rock-face ashlar with ashlar dressings, and features a slate roof with several irregularly dispersed chimney stacks, each containing two or more tall shafts. The ashlar coped gables have kneelers with decorative finials, as does the roof ridge. A moulded plinth band runs around the building.

The garden front is two storeys plus attic, spanning five bays. The single outer bays project slightly and are gabled, while the remaining bays are topped with small gables, the central single bay being slightly wider. A corbel table marks the eaves where not gabled, with an open parapet above. The ground and first floor have sill bands that are broken by the doorways and ashlar quoins frame the elevation.

The central feature is a basket-arched doorway with a part-glazed door and marginal lights, surmounted by a large three-light ashlar mullion overlight with Tudor-style hood mould and label stops. Either side are single doorways with glazed doors and overlights, with further similar large two-light overlights and hood moulds flanking these.

The outer single bays each contain a two-storey canted bay with a single three-light ashlar transom and mullion casement to the front and similar single-light casements to each side. Above are smaller similar windows in the canted bays. The central bay has a single three-light ashlar transom and mullion casement with Tudor-style hood mould and label stops, flanked by single tall narrow fixed lights and similar two-light windows with hood moulds. Above this sits a single central bay with an oriel window, single sashes to each side, and two ashlar mullion sashes with Tudor-style hood moulds and label stops. Each gable apex contains a single small blind rectangular panel.

To the right, set back from the main house, is a tower of four stages with a conical roof, corbel table and bands, the top stage being slightly recessed. Attached to the rear left and set back is a single-storey four-bay wing with an open parapet and finials, featuring four two-light cross casements alternating with five buttresses. Attached to the left is a tower with a conical lead roof and finial, comprising two stages with the top stage slightly recessed. An arched doorway with Tudor-style hood mould and label stops rises over a blind panel, with two blind slit ventilators above.

The seven-bay conservatory, now a swimming pool, is attached to the left. It features a central Tudor-arched doorway with decorative spandrels and Tudor-style hood mould and label stops rising over a decorative panel, with single pilaster strips and three cross casements to either side.

The rear of the house has a large closed porch with single octagonal mock turrets at each angle, each topped with an ashlar dome and finial. A four-centred arched doorway with decorative spandrels, ashlar mullion overlight and hood mould occupies the centre.

Extending from the left of this front is a single-storey plus attic service wing of seven bays, the left single bay projecting and rising to three storeys with a conical roof. An L-shaped range extends from the rear of this wing, forming a small courtyard.

Internally, the entrance hall features alabaster columns from the estate, with moulded arches above containing decorative key blocks and spandrels. An alabaster doorway is topped with a pediment supported on decorative brackets. The ceilings of major rooms display Elizabethan-style plaster decoration. An open-well staircase with decorated newels and Elizabethan-style strapwork balusters rises through the hall. The house contains some contemporary fireplaces, one of ashlar decorated with roundels and lozenges. The library and dining room are said to be panelled.