Bitterley Court

BITTERLEY

SO57NE Bitterley Court 482-1/6/73 12/11/54

GV II*

Manor house. Mid C17 core, remodelled in 1769 by Thomas Pritchard, early C19 alterations. Rendered walls. Tile and slate roofs with ashlar-coped gables. Brick eaves and ridge chimneys with star-shaped multiple shafted stack to north wing. H-shaped plan. EXTERIOR: 2-storey, attic and cellar. South front is 7-window range of 6/3 sashes over 6/6 sashes with cambered heads. Nearly half are glazed blind windows. Central 3 window bays advanced under pediment with modillion eaves and roundel set in tympanum, and with central door and doorcase. Splayed open-tread stone steps in front of doorcase. Doorcase with eared architraves set within brackets supporting shallow flat canopy with carved stone crest over, 6-panelled door with 4 upper panels glazed. Left return side to west: 3 gables with further projecting gables to left and right. Flanking gables each with 2-storey, 2-window ranges of 6/6 sashes with blind attic window over, all with cambered heads. Central gable fenestrated as for flanking gables but with 3 windows and central doorcase, converted to a window with glazed panelled infill with matching side lights, set in moulded frame with plain fascia and shallow flat projecting canopy with cornice. Garden area enclosed by wings has 2 small stone wall piers of ball finial on tapered shaft on plinth with raised panels, one dated 1649. Right return side to east: 3 gables with projecting gables to left and right. Flanking gables each with single attic opening under cambered head, 6/6 sash to left with arched cellar doorway and C20 window to right which also has C20 garage doors flanked by buttresses. Central gable partly covered by extension with high parapet end wall, which has large 6/6 sash and glazed door with top light. 2-light attic casement to gable behind. Rear: right side masked by single-storey slate-roofed brick lean-to. To centre are three 6/6 sashes over 2 late C17 12/12 sashes with no sills. To left 2 late C17 8/12 sashes over 6/6 sash and plain boarded door with top light. C20 dormer over. INTERIOR: north wing sashes have ovolo-moulded glazing bars and flat-block junctions. C17 oak quarter-landing staircase with closed string and turned balusters. North wing roof of 4 bays: single trenched purlin with raking strut and upper collar trusses. Central wing: C18 staircase with open string, turned balusters and curtail step. South wing: cental panelled hall with 2 marble Tuscan columns, adapted oak panelling. C16 inserted chimneypiece with high-relief figurative carving. Flanking rooms retain late C18 decoration: moulded cornices and dado with low-relief ornamental panelling below, 6-panelled doors with raised interior panels and eared architraves with plain entablature and cornice over, ornate chimneypieces, window boxed shutters intact. Moulded ceiling to east room. West room has low-relief panelling above dado.

Listing NGR: SO5709377244