Knowlton Court

House built in 1585 for Sir Thomas Peyton, altered and extended in 1715 for Sir Thomas D'Aeth, part remodelled and gardens laid out in 1904 by Reginald Blomfield, and a drawing room (and gate lodge) added by Edwin Lutyens in 1912, both for Major Elmer Speed.

The house is constructed of red brick in English bond on a flint base with plain tiled plat bands and cornice in two levels, not carried over the end right bay. The front is seven bays wide. The two end left bays project and have pilaster quoins; the centre three bays are recessed; the sixth bay projects; and the end right bay is recessed and set on a higher base than the rest of the front. Each bay except the centre three is topped by a kneelered gable with a wide, shallow pediment above. Stacks rise at the left, end right, and centre, where a cluster of seven moulded flues stands. The central area was remodelled in 1715, featuring two round windows and a semi-circular headed glazing bar sash on the second floor, and three glazing bar sashes on the first floor, the centre one with a pediment, plus two on the ground floor. The mullioned and transomed windows to the two right end bays are largely original; those to the two left date from 1904. These two end bays were also remodelled in 1715 with Dutch gables and sashes, but Blomfield made them match the 16th century work.

A basement opens to the left. The central entrance is a half-glazed door in a rusticated stone surround with four moulded steps. A service wing to the rear left, facing the Church of St Clement, was added in 1715. It is two storeys and attic with a plinth and panelled parapet to the hipped roof, which has four dormers and stacks to the left and right. The ground floor has five cross windows and one blank space on the first floor, all with flying cornices; a central double half-glazed door with rectangular fanlight; and three cross windows (originally four) on the right return, also with flying cornices.

Interior features include a hall with wainscotting and cross-beamed ceiling of 1904. The fireplace is of stone, lugged, with a scrolled frieze carved with festoons in relief supporting a pediment containing the arms of D'Aeth; it is possibly of around 1715 rather than 20th century, with the foliated frieze in the style of Gibbons. 16th century fireplaces exist elsewhere in the house. The main stair is 20th century in 16th century style with heavy turned balusters.

The White staircase is early 18th century, rising three storeys around an open well. It has turned balusters with square knops and an open string on brackets, with a double ramped and wreathed handrail and ramped dado panelling.

The drawing room, designed by Lutyens in 1912, is in late 17th century manner. It features panelling, fluted Corinthian pilasters (six on the long sides, four on the short sides), a frieze encircled with Gibbons-style festoons and swags, and a modillion cornice to an enriched plaster beamed ceiling based on an original in the Victoria and Albert Museum. A lugged bolection moulded fireplace carries swags, festoons and palm fronds, with relief arms of Charles II; this is a copy and pair to the fireplace in the Church of St Clement, Knowlton. The frieze above features a pair of winged cherubs. Heraldic glass, mostly of the Peyton family (the last of whom died in 1686), comes from the church.

Edward Lord Wootton lived and died here in 1628.