Ilsington House

Ilsington House is a country house situated within its own grounds, dating to the late 17th and early 18th centuries, with alterations made in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, and further enlargement in the later 19th century. The walls are plastered over original facing brick, with ashlar quoins. The roof is slate, with a prominent eaves cornice. Symmetrical plastered stacks are present. The house follows a double pile plan, with two storeys over a cellar. The central bay slightly projects, topped with a curved pediment. Deeper projecting wings are positioned at each end. A single-storey porch, dating to the late 19th century, is set in the centre and features plastered walls, stone dressings, and a parapet with a moulded cornice. The porch contains a pair of panelled doors with a fanlight, flanked by Tuscan pilasters. The ground floor has ten sash windows with glazing bars in moulded surrounds: three windows in each end wing, and two between the wings and the porch. The first floor has eleven similar sash windows. The cellar windows are stone mullioned. Ornamental cast iron railings surround the cellar area. A 19th-century service range is to the right (west), with plastered walls and a hipped slate roof. An addition to the left end of the house, also dating to the 19th century, contains a billiard room. A mounting block is located by the front door. At the rear, overlooking the garden, a late 18th or early 19th century balcony features a double flight of stone steps and a Gothic style iron balustrade. The interior was largely remodelled around 1800. The main hall extends through two storeys and includes a free-standing arcade with square Ionic columns and segmental arches. A cut string staircase, likely from the 18th century, has twisted balusters, a wreathed handrail, and spandrel brackets. The upper level displays raised panelling and a simple moulded cornice. The billiard room, added in 1871 by Henry Holland, has a coved, panelled ceiling with moulded ribs and a fanlight, along with a contemporary marble fireplace. The first-floor drawing room has a cornice with acanthus ornament. Its marble fireplace surround contains inset oval panels with carved figures in dark red marble. A room to the east of the drawing room exhibits similar details, with carving in white marble on a dark red ground. A room to the west features a similar cornice. Other rooms have enriched and moulded cornices, panelled doors, and marble fireplace surrounds. The staircase in the service range has heavy turned balusters, possibly from the original main staircase. Interlaced iron reinforcement and bars are present on the front door and some others; reputedly added for security after the trial of the Tolpuddle Martyrs.