Cholderton Park House

SU 24 SW AMPORT CHOLDERTON PARK 4/4

Cholderton Park House

G.V. II

Country House. c1800, modified and extended before 1890. Red brick in Flemish bond; hipped Welsh roof to shallow pitch, with wide eaves overhang, to main block; some other roofs have plain clay tiles; brick chimney-stacks. Two storeys, 'L'-plan; south elevation of 5 bays. Rendered plinth; small-pane 2-light casement windows of 8 panes each, the ground floor windows having extra 4-pane toplights, all set under voussoired flat-arched heads; centre bay of ground floor has a stone entrance porch with 2 free-standing unfluted Ionic columns carrying plain entablature, framing a 6-panel door with plain sidelight and fanlight. East and west ends of main block rendered and colourwashed; to east gable a single-storey extension with coped gabled tiled roof, linked by a short lobby having 4-centre archway with boarded door, above which are Gothic-arched and cusped panels, one featuring a shield; a glass conservatory added to the south side, and the east gable has a 3-light stone mullioned window . The west wall has blind window panels, one to each floor level, then northwards extends a double-roof plan unit of 4 bays having steeper-pitched slate roof; the west elevation has 2 and 4-light casement windows set under segmental arches to first floor; ground floor has a 9-pane sash window by 3, otherwise pointed-arched-light stone mullioned windows of varying pattern, all without labels, 2-light bay 1, two 4-lights bay 4 and bay 2 has a projection window under tiled roof with 4-lights and 2-light splay. Further north, another extension set back on west side, the lower storey masked by a C20 glazed corridor having flat roof, the first floor tile hung with two 4-arched light casement windows; this unit screened by brick and flint walling enclosing a small courtyard. Inside, the principal rooms behind south facade in a late Adam style; the south-east room with ornamental plaster ceiling and typical doorcase and dado moulding, has a fine white marble fireplace surround with Ionic pilasters, urns and a reclining figure in overmantel; the south-west room has cornice and plain dado, and a fine c1800 white marble fireplace surround with coloured inlays. Entrance hall plain, staircase a renewal of C1900, if not a relocation; most of the rear rooms, notably the gun room with coved ceiling and rooflight, and the library, are high Victorian with Gothic flavour. The roof over the south block has late C18 collar trusses. House acquired 1885 by Henry C Stephens, M.P. (of the ink firm) as the first part of an estate which he enlarged to some 3,300 acres, parts lying in Wiltshire. (Wiltshire Record Office, Cat Nos. 1340 and 1894 - some drawings held).

Listing NGR: SP2362142485