Upton Cressett Hall

Upton Cressett Hall

This is a Grade I listed building constructed primarily of handmade brick encasing a timber box frame, with rendered dressings and plain-tiled roofs. The most striking external features are two massive chimneystacks on the north-east elevation, each with clusters of twisted and plain vertically-ribbed shafts; a further external brick stack stands at the south-west gable end. The windows are of mixed styles and periods, with some late 20th-century copies present.

The building has a roughly L-shaped plan that developed over time. Its core comprises two bays of a former mid-15th-century aisled hall running north-east to south-west, with a four-bay solar range to the north-east. Attached to the solar wing is a late 15th-century cross wing of six bays. Between the aisled hall and cross wing stands a 17th-century stair block. The structure has two storeys and attics; a semi-basement exists at the north-west end of the cross wing and a full basement lies beneath the former solar range.

The entrance front on the south-east elevation features a late 20th-century sash window and entrance door to the left. To the right, blue-brick diaper patterning is visible. Two projecting bays beneath a single gable contain pairs of late 20th-century sash windows under flat-headed rubbed brick lintels to ground and first floors; the north end is blind.

The north-east elevation is the showpiece front, overlooking the adjacent 12th-century church. It is dominated by the two massive chimneystacks with blue-brick diaper work. The first bay projects forward under a gable and carries four-light mullioned and transomed windows with diamond-shaped leaded lights at ground and first floors; between the windows is a clay plaque dated 1580. Within the gable apex sits a three-light mullioned window. The short right return contains a narrow blocked doorway at ground floor (possibly providing access to the grounds and church) with a single light above. The brick chimneystacks flanking this area have been partly rebuilt; the one to the right retains stone rubble in its lower courses. Between the stacks are mullioned and transomed windows, with two right-hand windows being late 20th-century replacements in matching style. To the right of the second stack is a gabled bay with three-light mullioned windows to first and attic floors, and a two-light window with chamfered brick mullion and surround at ground floor, partly obscured by a projecting curing chamber of brick with some masonry at its base. The north-west third of this elevation has later timber cross windows. The north-west gable end contains a segmental-headed opening with a late 20th-century door and marginal glazing serving the semi-basement, and a three-light casement window to the attic.

The north-east elevation of the former cross wing has an irregular arrangement of multi-paned casements to ground and first floors, some later insertions and others reinstatements to formerly blocked openings. An entrance with a late 20th-century half-glazed door and fanlight stands towards the right-hand end. At the junction of cross wing and stair block is a further doorway and first-floor casement window. The southern end of the south-east elevation projects forward with the stair block and truncated south-west end of the former open hall, each under a gabled roof, containing late 20th-century casements under segmental heads.

The interior is complex and historically rich. The entrance hall occupies the ground floor of the former mid-15th-century hall. It retains an elaborate chimneypiece brought from elsewhere, imported panelling to the north wall, and the lower portions of the two former aisled posts are exposed. The right-hand wall contains two identical 16th-century flat-headed doorcases with moulded jambs and later square-panelled doors.

The principal drawing room to the north-east contains a stone fireplace with a depressed four-centred arch and chamfered jambs with stops. To its right is a deep, raised bay of the late 16th century. The walls are panelled (some brought from elsewhere), and a late 16th-century studied plank door with strap hinges stands behind the fireplace, now blocked externally. The chamfered ceiling beam has ogee stops. The adjacent room displays exposed timber framing with evidence of a blocked window or door towards the north-east corner. The basement, accessed via stone steps from this room, is lit by two two-light windows of chamfered brick and has a roof supported by a central deeply-chamfered timber post and ceiling beam with ogee stops.

The former kitchen beyond contains a large fireplace with massive stones forming a chamfered four-centred arch, and an exposed chamfered ceiling beam with ogee stops and joists. At its southern end, two closely-set timber uprights mark the junction between the former outer wall of the north-western solar range and the abutting south-eastern end of the later cross wing added in the late 15th century. A 19th-century bread oven and the remains of a former curing or smoking chamber survive here. A late 20th-century staircase at the north-west end leads to the first floor, with steps providing access to the semi-basement.

The principal staircase to the rear of the entrance hall has a square open well with plain newels topped by early 21st-century finials carved with the Upton Cressett sea monster motif; the well has been partly infilled. The stairs continue to the attics as a winder with oak treads and risers.

The principal bedroom in the south-east occupies a room with a plain-plastered barrel ceiling and original timber panelling featuring an arcaded frieze. The fireplace retains a stone lintel with traces of black and red paint, and a restored timber chimneypiece of circa 1600. Painted on the panelling are the date 1600 and the initials R & JC, denoting Richard Cressett (died 1601) and his wife Jane. A small closet at the north-east corner originally served as a garderobe. The adjacent bedroom has exposed timber framing and a brick fireplace; an en-suite, probably a former antechamber, contains a fireplace with timber lintel. Other first-floor rooms in the cross wing, accessed from a corridor running the length of the range, show no evidence of having been heated.

The roof carpentry of the former open hall is visible at first-floor level and has been dendrochronologically dated to 1431. It retains two aisled trusses with short crown posts clasping the collar-purlin. The curved long braces are chamfered and moulded at the base, extending below the tie beam; the lateral braces are cusped. The north-east truss is closed, while the open truss carries a carved rosette boss below the crown post. Billet moulding survives on the arcade plate.

The roof over the solar wing contains alternating queen post and arch-braced, collar-beamed principals with wind braces and clasped purlins, dendrochronologically dated to 1428–30. The cross wing roof comprises six bays of queen post construction, dating to circa 1498.

Throughout the house are extensive early 21st-century schemes of painted decoration by artist Adam Dant, incorporating the Upton Cressett sea monster motif and other Tudor-inspired designs.

The building was formerly listed as Upton Hall.