Central Building Of Wootton Manor

TQ 50 NE 18/204

FOLKINGTON WOOTTON LANE Central Building of Wootton Manor

(Formerly listed as Wootton House previously listed as Wootton Manor)

13.10.52

II* Country house. Mid C17 farmhouse on site of medieval manor house (C14 masonry in north west wing) greatly enlarged by Detmar Blow for R. P. Gwynne, M.P. in the same mid C17 style. Red brick in English bond, plain tile hipped and gabled roofs, hipped dormers, brick stacks. Flint plinth on west side and flint walls with ashlar details (arched doorway and cinquefoil headed window) to north west wing. C17 rectangular block with Blow's extensions to north and south. To the south west a large wing with hipped roof by Blow linked to the corner of the south extension. The north west wing, converted from a barn by Blow, probably incorporating remains of medieval chapel, is linked to the smaller north extension. Wings flank a raised terrace on the west side of the central block, since 1915 the main entrance front, approached through a forecourt formerly the farmyard. Elevation of three storeys and attics on west side but the lowest storey a basement on the east side, with east side doorway, formerly the principal entrance, at higher level. Brick platt bands at floor levels link with bold rusticated brick quoining, all exactly copied by Blow on extensions and south west wing. C17 east front has a pair of large contiguous cross gables. C20 gabled single storey porch off centre to right flanked to either side by a sash with narrow sash sidelights. On first floor above each, a similar sashed window and a sash without side lights above porch. A small sash in each gable. To left, the south west wing has two large stacks with tall panelled shafts alternating with sashes with side lights on both floors of east side. A similar window has an arched head to the central sash breaking through the eaves in the centre of the south end wall. C17 front on east side has four sashes on both upper floors. Single storey entrance porch with hipped roof projects onto terrace off centre to left, flanked to either side by a three light casement. Single light sashes in linking extensions to north and south. All windows have rubbed brick flat arch heads with projections at centre and at ends of each arch. All windows have glazing bars.

Interior: In C17 block exposed bridging beams, C18 fireplace in Dining Room. The north extension contains an early C18 open well staircase with twisted balusters and carved bracket to each tread end brought from a house in Battersea which belonged to Gwynne family. Upper floor of south west wing contains the Library by Blow fully fitted with book-cases; marble fireplace in C18 French Baroque style.

Country Life, April 7 1955

Listing NGR: TQ5654305193