Overbury Court

Overbury Court is a country house of circa 1739, built in limestone ashlar with a hipped Welsh slate roof. The building has undergone significant alterations: minor works in 1887, major alterations from 1897 to 1900 by Richard Norman Shaw, further changes in 1909 and 1911 by Ernest Newton, and additional alterations in 1959 by Victor Heal. All alterations were carried out for the Martin family.

The main elevation displays two storeys with an attic and cellar. The attic storey is constructed of darker stone and is incorporated into the parapet, which rises above a prominent moulded eaves cornice. Large ashlar ridge stacks with moulded cappings sit above either a dentilled cornice or on corbels, probably dating mainly to the mid to late 19th century. The façade is arranged in 2:3:2 bays, with the central bays breaking forward and surmounted by a pediment. Chamfered end quoins extend up to attic level.

The windows to the two main storeys feature moulded architraves with corbels beneath the jambs and moulded keyblocks; on the first floor, the keyblocks meet the eaves cornice. The central first floor window has an eared architrave and an ornately carved keyblock. All are 18-pane sashes. The attic storey has square windows in the outer bays and windows with elliptically-arched heads, imposts and moulded architraves in the central three bays; all have keyblocks and 2-light casements. A circular window sits within the pediment above.

The central entrance features a pediment and entablature supported on engaged, unfluted Ionic columns, with glazed, multi-paned double doors and a barred segmental fanlight. The left side elevation comprises five bays with windows featuring aprons and a central pedimented door with a Gibbs surround.

A two-storey addition by Shaw adjoins the right side elevation in 2:1:2 bays. Its windows are similar to the original part except for a tripartite sash spanning bays 4 and 5 of the ground floor and a half-glazed door in bay 1. The central part projects and rises above attic level to house a lift shaft, featuring concave corner rebates, windows on both main floors, and a round-headed attic window with moulding that returns at impost level and continues as a string to the main parapet coping.

Further additions include a projecting porch at the centre of a two-storey rear extension, with a parapet above a moulded cornice, moulded plinth, concave corner rebates, a segmental pediment, moulded architrave and panelled double doors. A large porch with moulded cornice, concave corner rebates and large round-headed archways adjoins the left side at the rear. Circa 1959 additions include a five-bay two-storey wing surmounted by a small lantern to the rear right and a long single-storey range to the rear left, which enclose a rear courtyard.

Interior features include an open well staircase to the rear of the central bays (said to be relocated) with turned balusters, a moulded and wreathed handrail and moulded brackets. Facing the staircase is a domed lobby set on round-headed arches with panelled soffits. Many original fireplaces survive, including two in the panelled room to the left of the ground floor, which are flanked by giant pilasters.