Claverton Manor (The American Museum) And Screen Walls To North And South

Claverton Manor is a manor house or country house, now serving as The American Museum. It was built between 1819 and 1820 by Jeffry Wyatt (later Sir Jeffry Wyatville) for John Vivian of Claverton. The construction utilizes ashlar, with a rusticated ground floor; it has a hipped slate roof behind a moulded cornice and blocking course, and ashlar stacks with moulded caps. The building extends over three storeys and includes a basement.

The east elevation features a 3:3:3 bay arrangement, with the outer bays forming three-storey segmental bows. Glazing bar sash windows are set within moulded architraves on the upper floors. The central three bays are distinguished by two attached Giant Order Ionic columns in antis, resting on the rusticated ground floor, with shallow niches containing statues flanking the columns. A first-floor window is positioned beneath a cornice supported by long brackets. A projecting square porch features urns on its parapet, with a glazed door flanked by tall windows, all beneath a recessed segmental head.

The south elevation is arranged in 1:3:1 bays, with the central three bays slightly advanced and featuring Giant Ionic pilasters supporting a pediment displaying the Vivian arms in the tympanum. The fenestration is similar to that of the east front. The west (entrance) elevation follows a 1:3:1 bay pattern, with the central three bays advanced and the inner bay recessed, incorporating two Giant Ionic columns in antis. A central glazing bar sash window is set under a cornice on bracket supports, accompanied by a glazed door flanked by tall windows, all beneath a recessed segmental headed niche. A plaque by the door commemorates Winston Spencer Churchill’s first political speech, delivered on July 26th, 1897.

A tall screen wall projects southwards from the south-west corner. This panelled ashlar wall is comprised of seven bays, with a balustraded parapet and urns on pedestals, extending approximately 20 yards. A similar wall extends northwards from the north-east and north-west corners. This northern wall consists of six bays, with a projecting porch on the east front and alternating panels and glazing bar sash windows on the west front. Service rooms are situated between the north screen walls.

The interior includes an open well staircase hall, featuring a cast iron anthemion balustrade, a circular lantern, and ox-skull plasterwork. A Greek Revival room in the north-east corner boasts an enriched cornice and frieze, along with a marble fireplace incorporating caryatids.