Stafford House, Including Attached Garden Walls On North And East

Stafford House, including attached garden walls on north and east

Stafford House is a country house and the former manor house of the vanished village of Frome Billet. The building comprises an original 16th-century wing, enlarged in 1633 to form an E-plan, then further enlarged with a parallel range around 1848 by architect Benjamin Ferrey, when the entrance was moved from the east front to the west.

The walls are of rough ashlar stone with stone slate roofs featuring moulded coped gables and kneelers. Ashlar stacks have moulded caps, some rising from gable tops. The house is two storeys with attics.

The east front has projecting gabled wings at each end. It features a chamfered plinth and string course at first floor level. The left gable, part of the 16th-century block, has two 2-light stone mullioned windows on the ground floor. The first floor and attic each contain two single light windows with arched lights and cast iron glazing, under hoodmoulds. The right gable has a 3-light stone mullioned window with arched lights and cast iron glazing on the ground floor with a hoodmould incorporated in the string course, a similar 3-light window on the first floor, and a 2-light window in the attic. An externally projecting stack sits at the right end.

At the centre of the range stands a 2-storey gabled porch. It has a moulded round-arched doorway with keystone and imposts with moulded caps, with the date 1633 inscribed on the keystone. The inner doorway features a depressed 4-centred arch with a part glazed 'Gothick' style door. On each side of the porch are two similar 3-light windows on each floor, with 2-light windows in gabled dormers in the attic above.

The west front, dating from circa 1845, is in a similar style and serves as the entrance front. It has shallow projecting gabled wings at each end. At ground floor in the centre are four round arches—the central two open and the outer two blocked with shell-headed niches—with a moulded panelled entrance door in the centre section. The first floor has two 4-light windows as on the original front, with a Coat of Arms between them. The left gable contains a 2-storey bay window with similar mullioned windows on each floor. The right gable has no bay but contains similar windows: 4-light on the ground floor and 3-light on the first floor. At the right end, set back, is the gable end of the 16th-century block with similar windows on each floor.

Attached garden walls are included with the listing. At the left end of the main range is an attached garden wall of rubble stone with an arched opening. At its left end this extends forward with a square angle and terminal piers with moulded caps and ball finials. At the rear, at the left end, is an attached garden wall with a 4-centred arched opening.

Internally, the 16th-century block contains a stone spiral stair with a 'Gothick' style wrought iron balustrade at first floor level. The kitchen features deep chamfered ceiling beams. A blocked 4-centred arched fireplace occupies the first floor.

In the 17th-century range, the entrance hall and adjoining room (the original hall) display cornices and other details in 'Gothick' style dating from the late 18th or early 19th century. The 19th-century range features a closed string stair and doorcases in Jacobean style in the entrance hall. Intersecting ceiling beams with jewel ornament and pendants are present. The library contains Jacobean style book cases. The house represents an interesting 19th-century adaptation of an earlier single pile house.