Gunton Park

Gunton Park is a country house, now divided into several residences, initially constructed around 1742 by Matthew Brettingham and later altered around 1785 by Samuel and William Wyatt. The house is primarily constructed of gault brick with brick dressings, and has slate and lead roofs. The original design was irregular, though the south front, of five bays and two storeys, exemplifies Brettingham's work. It features rusticated quoins, Gibbs surrounds to the window openings, and a central projecting three-bay section with rusticated quoins, a pediment, and a coat of arms in Coade stone within the tympanum. A stone lion sits atop the pediment. A rendered parapet is partially balustraded. Samuel and William Wyatt added a nine-bay colonnade with projecting pavilions to the east and west in the late 18th century. This section features rendered Tuscan columns and pilaster responds, a plain frieze, and a lead roof. The end pavilions have rusticated quoins and windows reaching the floor, set under segmental arches with segmental heads; side lights have glazing bars, and radiating glazing bars appear at the tops. The original central portion of the house was destroyed by fire in 1882 and the three southernmost bays were rebuilt around 1980. This reconstruction included sash windows with glazing bars, contemporary internal fittings, but incorporated some cellar doors and mahogany-veneered doors salvaged from the earlier house. The east front, of seven bays, replicates the window and pediment detailing of the south front. The house’s axis was likely altered in the late 18th century, making the east front the main entrance. A doorway was subsequently added, framed by a stone surround with continuous moulding and flanked by two rendered pilasters, topped by a plain frieze. The three central bays of this section remain ruinous. The two northernmost bays were re-roofed with slate in the late 19th century, revealing a red-brick internal wall. Dormer windows with Gibbs surrounds were added to the east and west elevations, along with chimneys displaying banded decoration. Internally, one room retains a chimney piece likely dating to Brettingham’s period. The west elevation, of nine bays and two storeys, is also largely attributed to Wyatt, employing elements of Brettingham’s decorative style. The central three bays originally formed a two-story bow, now in ruins. Parts of an iron grille remain in some of the openings. To the north of this section, a six-bay wing of three storeys, matching the height of the Brettingham range, was added by Wyatt around 1785, with a principal facade facing east. The southernmost bay of this wing exhibits a three-story bow with sash windows and glazed doors to the top storey opening onto an iron verandah extending across all three floors, supported by ironwork. The remaining five bays present a central door with side-lights and a fanlight with radiating glazing bars; sash windows with glazing bars; six giant Doric pilasters; a plain cornice; and a partly balustraded parapet.