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

ST 76 SE CLAVERTON

7/60 Claverton Manor (The American Museum) and Screen Walls to North 1.2.56 and South G.V. I

Manor or country house, now a museum. 1819-20 by Jeffry Wyatt (later Sir Jeffry Wyatville) for John Vivian of Claverton. Ashlar with rusticated ground floor; hipped slate roof behind moulded cornice and blocking course; ashlar stacks with moulded caps. 3 storeys and basement. East elevation, 3:3:3 bays, the outer ones are in 3 storey segmental bows; glazing bar sash windows,in moulded architraves on upper floors. The centre 3 bays consist of two Giant Order attached Ionic columns in antis, resting on the rusticated ground floor; shallow niches containing statues flank the columns; centre first floor window under a cornice on long brackets; projecting square porch with urns on parapet, glazed door flanked by tall windows, all under a recessed segmental head. South elevation: 1:3:1 bays, the centre 3 are slightly advanced with Giant Ionic pilasters supporting a pediment which has the Vivian arms in the tympanum; similar fenestration to east front. West (entrance) elevation: 1:3:1 bays, the centre 3 are advanced and the inner bay is recessed with 2 Giant Ionic columns in antis; central glazing bar sash window under cornice on long brackets; glazed door flanked by tall lights and under a recessed segmental headed niche; fenestration as east elevation; affixed plaque by door reads "Here Winston Spencer Churchill on July 26th, 1897 made his first political speech". From the south-west corner a tall screen projects to the south; panelled ashlar wall of 7 bays with a balustraded parapet and urns on pedestals, approximately 20 yards long. A similar wall extends to the north from the north-east and north-west corners: 6 bays with a projecting porch on the east front and alternating panels and glazing bar sash windows on the west front; between the north screen walls are service rooms. Interior: open well staircase hall, cast iron anthemion balustrade, circular lantern and ox-skull plasterwork; Greek Revival room to north-east with enriched cornice and frieze and marble fireplace with caryatids.

Listing NGR: ST7843964064