Dodington House

Dodington House

A house probably dating from around 1600, extended in the late 17th century, and further extended and remodelled during the 18th and early 19th centuries. The building is timber framed with painted brick nogging and partly rendered. Parts have been rebuilt and extended in brick, with rendering to the front (lined as ashlar) and rear. Plain tile roofs are hipped at the rear.

The structure has an L-shaped plan developing into an H-plan with gabled wings. The late 17th-century rear wing follows a 2-bay baffle-entry plan, with an early 19th-century infill block in the angle. The rear wing features rectangular panels (three from sole plate to wall plate) on a high brick plinth. The building rises to two storeys and an attic, with a two-storey wing.

Architectural detailing includes a plinth, chamfered quoins, a parapet with stone coping, and triangular-pedimented gables with copings. Brick ridge stacks are present off-centre to the left, with a pair of integral lateral brick stacks to the right. The rear wing has a brick ridge stack and integral brick end stack, while the infill block has a brick ridge stack and integral brick lateral stack.

The front elevation is arranged in 1:1:1 bays with projecting wings. Windows are glazing bar sashes: 12-pane to the centre and 16-pane to the wings, with painted stone cills. The central entrance features an 18th-century oak door with six raised and fielded panels (upper panels glazed), a three-part rectangular overlight, reeded architrave, and a stone Doric doorcase with unfluted baseless columns, frieze, and moulded cornice. A four-panelled door appears in the return of the right-hand wing.

The rear elevation includes an infill block with a gabled dormer containing a two-light wooden casement. This rear face comprises three bays with boxed glazing bar sashes to the right with stone cills, louvred shutters to the ground floor, and a first-floor boxed four-pane sash to the left. An early 19th-century door to the left has six flush panels, a Gothick fanlight with intersecting tracery, and a panelled architrave with imposts.

The rear wing has a two-window front with 19th-century two- and three-light wooden mullioned and transomed casements. A central early 19th-century door with six raised and fielded panels is accompanied by a doorcase with moulded architrave and shaped brackets supporting a triangular pediment with broken-back centre. Timber framing is visible to the rear. An 18th-century addition set back to the left displays a first-floor segmental-headed three-light wooden casement and a door to the right with semi-circular fanlight.

Interior fixtures and fittings date from the late 17th century to around 1700, and from the early 19th century. The entrance hall, circa 1700, features dado panelling, a pair of depressed arches at the rear with raised keystones, a central stubby Doric column on a pedestal, and antae with flutes extending two-thirds of the height and panelled sides. A right-hand doorway has a fluted pilaster to the right and a segmental four-part overlight. A blocked doorway to the right-hand front room, now fitted with shelves, retains its moulded architrave.

The staircase hall to the right contains an early 19th-century dog-leg staircase rising two floors with landings, open string with cut brackets, stick balusters, and a turned columnar foot newel. A depressed archway sits at the foot of the stairs.

The ground-floor right-hand front room has an 18th-century fireplace with staff moulding, narrow frieze and cornice with central break. An elliptical-arched cupboard to the left features a moulded architrave and two raised and fielded panelled doors below. A right-hand cupboard has a moulded architrave and frieze.

The ground-floor right-hand rear room contains late 17th-century oak panelling with dentil cornice. A door with two raised and fielded panels opens into the room, which has a corner fireplace with moulded stone surround, wooden frieze, and moulded wooden cornice.

The ground-floor left-hand rear (drawing) room is early 19th-century in character. It features beaded flush dado panelling, plaster wall panels, picture rail, and a fluted plaster cornice with paterae and central plaster ceiling rose. A 20th-century fireplace contains a brought-in cast-iron grate. Windows have fluted architraves and beaded flush-panelled internal shutters.

The kitchen in the rear wing retains a blocked late 17th-century fireplace with chamfered wooden lintel and a panelled cupboard with H-L hinges. Windows are barred. An early 19th-century back staircase has stick balusters and a square foot newel post.

Mainly early 19th-century six-panelled doors with moulded architraves appear throughout, with an eight-panelled door serving the left-hand rear room. First-floor and attic rooms were not inspected.