Merston Manor

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 23/12/2019

SZ58NW 1353-0/2/53

ARRETON Merstone Chapel Lane Merston Manor

(Formerly listed as Merstone Manor, MERSTONE)

21/07/51

II*

House, formerly manor house. Built by Edward Cheke in 1605, restored 1895. Red brick in English bond with stone dressings but stone rear elevation and C19 tiled roof. E-plan house of two storeys and attics, five windows. Stone stringcourse forming dripmould over ground floor windows. Deep stone plinth. Ashlar quoins. Projecting wings have gables with stone coping and finial and ball finials to kneelers. Most windows are casement windows with four or five-light stone mullions and transoms.

Projecting wings have on ground and first floors, c.1895 two storey bays. Central projecting two storey porch having pediment with dates 1605 and 1895. Stone doorway with obtusely pointed head and dripstone over with shields and spandrels. Rear elevation of stone with five mullioned windows. Lounge has stone four centred arched fireplace and very fine oak overmantel with two herms and female figures with cornucopiae, strutwork motifs and marquetry inlay and fluted Ionic pilasters. There are two further early C17 overmantels in this room removed from the first floor at the time of the alterations in 1895. On the left side is one with two herms and a female figure in attitudes of prayer with Lions head masks and fluted pilasters. The third over-mantel in the centre of the room has a frieze with accoutrements of war, strapwork panels with central Tudor roses and elaborate pilasters. The room has elaborate plank and muntin panelling with frieze and concealed cupboard with cock's head hinges. Sitting Room has a four centred arched stone fireplace.

One of the original Domesday manors, recorded as having been held by Brictuin as a tenant of the King in the time of Edward the Confessor. By 1086 it was held by the Norman baron William FitzStur and passed through the hands of the de Insulas and the de Clamorgans before coming into the hands of the Cheke family of Mottistone in the middle of the C16. The builder of the present house Edward Cheke was married to the sister of Sir John Oglander of Nunwell, the diarist. Unusual for the Isle of Wight in being brick rather than stone.

Listing NGR: SZ5214485437