Gorhambury

Gorhambury is a country house that was begun between 1777 and 1784 for the third Viscount Grimston, designed by Sir Robert Taylor. The house was refaced in Portland stone between 1957 and 1967. Originally, it featured low wings connecting the main building with side blocks. The northern wing was replaced by a stuccoed three-storey block in 1816-1817, and a more substantial northern block was added in 1826 by W. Atkinson. That same year, the southern wing and block were demolished.

The main block of the house is two storeys over a basement and features a deep hexastyle Corinthian portico with paired outer columns, while the rear wall is pilastered. There are three sash windows on each side, with moulded frames and cornices on the ground floor windows. The basement and podium are rusticated, and there is a long flight of steps leading to the portico. The central double door has a shell motif in the arch tympanum. The rear elevation includes a three-quarter column hexastyle portico. The northern wing has three windows with similar detailing, and the northern block features a 1:3:1 arrangement of sash windows, with the central three projecting.

Inside, there is a large cube-shaped central hall modeled on the Queen's House, featuring a high bracketed balcony. The south wall has stained glass windows and a fine marble fireplace taken from Old Gorhambury. The yellow drawing room in the southwest has a richly carved fireplace by Piranesi, made of white marble with figured red marble panels and medallions. Another fireplace by Piranesi is located in the library. The oval staircase hall on the north side has cantilevered spiral stairs and a glazed dome. The house also contains an important collection of family portraits.