Cokethorpe School

A country house, now a school, built in 1709 for Sir Simon Harcourt, with subsequent alterations and additions. The south front is the earliest surviving element, extended to the rear around 1730 and refronted in 1780. The interior was extensively remodelled in 1913. The house is constructed of limestone ashlar, with a hipped stone slate roof and moulded ashlar stacks. It follows a U-plan with two rear wings. The architectural style is Georgian.

The symmetrical front elevation, two storeys high, has a 2:3:2 window arrangement. The tall, horned sash windows are topped with flat arches. A canted central bay features a doorway with a pulvinated frieze and a porch with unfluted Ionic columns and a balustraded parapet. A moulded eaves cornice runs along the front, matching the parapet. The south side wall, dating back to around 1710, displays a pedimented six-window range of horned six-pane sashes set within moulded, segmental-arched architraves with keyblocks; it is topped with a similar cornice and parapet.

A T-shaped east wing, added around 1730, extends to the rear right. It has a nine-window range with projecting outer blocks and keyed flat arches over the tall, horned sashes on the right side wall. A smaller, early 18th century service range is located to the rear left, constructed of similar materials. It has chamfered stone-mullioned windows and two doors, one preserving an 18th century Norfolk latch, set within beaded architraves.

The interior includes extensive remodelling from 1913. A hall is fitted with panelling and a dated 1913 fireplace; another room has panelling and a fireplace with acanthus-leaf borders. The rear left stair hall features a dog-leg staircase with turned balusters. The north wing has similar service stairs with 18th century dado panelling rising to a first-floor gallery, also with dado panelling and a moulded cornice. A ground-floor room at the front has acanthus-leaf bordering to the panelling, potentially dating from around 1730 but with later alterations, and an overmantle with swags dating from around 1750. A small, mid-18th century panelled closet is found in the south wing, along with a room featuring bolection-moulded panelling, a fireplace, and an oval plasterwork ceiling. Another room in the south wing features bolection-moulded marble panelling with Corinthian pilasters, a screen, a fireplace, and plaster ceilings of a similar style. The attic in the north wing contains C16 bricks and reused beams carved with an 'H' for Harcourt.

Cokethorpe House was sold to Maximdean Western, a Director of the East India Company, in 1908 and became a school in 1955.