Sotterley Hall

Sotterley Hall is a grade I listed manor house built around 1745 for Miles Barne, located in Sotterley Park. The building underwent notable later alterations, particularly around 1840 and in 1911.

The house is constructed of red brick, originally stuccoed, with chamfered rustication to the quoins and a continuous enriched wooden modillion eaves cornice topped by a balustraded parapet. The roof is covered with glazed black pantiles. The plan is H-shaped with shallow projecting wings at the front and back.

The building stands two storeys with attics. The main facade displays nine windows arranged 2:1:3:1:2, with the centre three bays set slightly forward beneath a pediment containing the Barne family arms in the tympanum. The windows are inset sash windows with slender glazing bars and stone architraves; the ground floor windows to the wings have been lengthened. The central first floor window has a segmental pediment, while the two adjacent windows have triangular pediments. The entrance was added around 1840 and comprises a curved stone balustrade with a flight of six steps leading to a six-panel raised and fielded door with a semi-circular fanlight featuring radiating glazing bars, panelled reveals and delicately carved architrave. The doorcase has a stone surround with engaged Corinthian columns carrying an enriched entablature and pediment.

The return fronts are arranged 1:3:1 with the centre three bays set forward and pedimented, featuring small pedimented dormer windows. The left hand return front has a central Venetian doorway in the fluted Roman Doric order with a heavy pediment, approached by a flight of six stone steps. Immediately above is a fine Venetian window in the fluted Ionic order, supported on four heavy consoles. A Diocletian window appears in the tympanum. Four blank panels occupy the ground floor; the first floor windows have heavier glazing bars and may be original. The right hand return front has ground floor windows extending to ground level, with the centre window pedimented and supported on Ionic pilasters; these windows were altered in the mid or late 19th century. The central first floor windows are pedimented as in the main facade, with a square window in the tympanum above. The rear elevation is similar in form to the main facade, featuring a pedimented stone doorcase on engaged Ionic columns with rusticated inner surround, pedimented central first floor windows and an oculus in the tympanum. The inner returns of the flanking wings have a single semi-circular headed blank panel on each floor. The section of wall between the wings was brought forward slightly in 1911 but rebuilt as before.

The interior contains significant features of quality. The entrance hall contains a richly carved early 17th-century oak overmantel, said to come from the previous house on the site. The dining room behind has enriched plaster panelling and a carved fluted Corinthian surround to the external doorway. It features a very fine fireplace of wood-grained plaster with flanking consoles terminating in outward-facing female busts and a central tablet with the head of Aurora against a rayed background. The library is fully panelled with a rich cornice and a marble fireplace with scrolled pediment. A passage in the left hand wing contains part of a plaster ceiling with stylised arabesque ornament; the adjacent room has a good fireplace with a central head of Bacchus. The main staircase has one twisted and one fluted baluster to each tread, carved tread-ends and a ramped and weathered handrail. A secondary stair extending to attic level has closely spaced turned balusters. Many carved doorcases and doors exist throughout, with the Corinthian doorcase at the top of the main stair being particularly fine. Two first floor rooms have fireplaces with Rococo decoration and marble linings.