Nieuport House

ALMELEY CP - SO 35 SW 1/14 Nieuport House

GV II Country houae, now Latvian Home. Late C18 with late C19 and later alterations. Brick with limestone dressings and Welsh slate roofs. Irregular plan compris- ing C18 central block with C19 extensions and sings. Two storeys with attics. Garden front to south-east has central block with 2:3:2 windows, late C19 sashes in fluted surrounds with gauged brick heads. Gable-pediment to centre and eaves has dentils. Giant pilasters to gable and corners. Within the pediment are three juxtaposed casements each of four panes. To either side of the pediment is a small triangular late C19 attic light. Ground floor has a pair of 3-light late C19 bay windows with limestone dressings. Central entry with limestone pilasters and glazed late C19 door. Attached to each side by three-window wings are a pair of late C19 pavilions each of two storeys and two windows with plat bands between storeys. North elevation has on right-hand side a large late C19 Neo-Classical porch of 3:3:3 bays. The central part has three arches resting on verniculated jambs and Gibbs surrounds. Above is an entablature with two bovine skulls. Outer three bays have Tuscan columns with foliated abaci supporting a Roman Doric entablature. Interior has large 3-flight late C19 staircase with twisted balusters and groups of four such balusters forming newel posts. Stair- case is top-lit by barrel-vaulted stained glass to the sides of which is rich pine panelled ceiling. Two arches adjacent to staircase on ground floor have marble column and imposts with richly carved capitals. Second late C19 stair- case has iron lozenge patterned balusters and oak handrail and is cantilevered over five flights. A third staircase, probably C18, to west of main staircase, is a two-flight dog-leg with turned oak balusters and a moulded handrail. Dining room is late C19 with ceiling panelled in quatrefoils, rich oak doors and dado. Several marble late C19 fireplaces, one to west side of main front with a row of heads set in medallions. Nieuport House is said to have been the home of Sir John Oldcastle, a leader of the Lollards and to have been rebuilt in 1774 for the Foley family. (Information in the Library of the Latvian Home).

Listing NGR: SO3194852074