Chantmarle Manor

Chantmarle Manor

A Grade I listed manor house at Cattistock, now a private residence. The building has a 15th-century core to its north west range, with significant 16th and 20th-century alterations and additions.

The main east range was built in 1612 for Sir John Strode, as recorded by the date "Emmanuel 1612" on the porch keystone. This range was constructed by Joseph and Daniel Rowe of Hamdon. It features ashlar Ham stone walls with moulded plinth and string courses, and stone slate roofs with stone gable-copings. Two storeys and attics, with eight windows of varying sizes (two-, four- and some with five-lights). The windows have hollow-chamfered stone mullions that are transomed, with iron casements fitted with tension-bars and diagonally-leaded lights, most windows retaining fixed leading. The most prominent feature is the two and a half storey porch at centre, with stone gable-coping and obelisk finials. The porch's ground floor entrance is a round arch within a square outer head, with spandrel-roundels, moulded imposts and a key-block bearing the date inscription. Flanking this entrance are semi-circular niches with round shelf-heads. A front door, panelled and studded, dates to around the 17th century. Above, the first floor has a half-round oriel on deep-moulded corbelling containing four mullion-and-transom lights. The top floor features a three-light mullion window with label and carved stone wreath. Multiple stone stacks with chamfered cornices are positioned at the south gable, ridge left of centre, porch right wall, ridge right centre and north gable.

The rear elevation includes a gabled stair-tower projecting from the Dining Room and a hall fireplace embrasure with stack removed.

The north west rear range has 15th-century origins. It displays knapped flint and banded stone walls, consolidated in the 20th century, with a stone slate roof and gable end. A stone stack sits at the centre ridge, with a 20th-century flint and stone stack at the gable end. Two and a half storeys tall, it has five windows of varying lights (one-, two-, three- and five-lights), with stone mullions featuring four-centred arches set in square heads and separate labels. Some refenestration has occurred. Two gabled dormer windows have stone gable-copings and grotesque finials. A four-light chapel room window in the east wall is now internal.

Early 20th-century additions comprise a south range of rubble stone with stone slate roofs, one and a half storeys, containing four windows with matching fenestration, stone gable coping and 20th-century stacks. This range returns to the west, where a former cottage was rebuilt and attached to the main house via a staircase well, with 20th-century refacing, new fenestration and gabled dormers. Further 20th-century service additions north west of the house feature ashlar walls, stone slate roof and stone stacks. Two and a half storeys with three windows, styled to echo the 17th-century character. A pantry projects further east.

The interior retains substantial period features. A screens-passage is made up of 16th and 17th-century material, including linen-fold panels. The hall contains two moulded stone fireplaces with depressed-arch heads in the west and south walls, with a made-up overmantel. The Dining Room has a fireplace with a 17th-century overmantel and two entrances to the Drawing Room. A pointed-arch entrance to the stair-tower features one plain impost-block. The chapel room retains a stone piscina and credence shelf of 15th-century date, and a compartmented ceiling dated to the 16th century with major and minor moulded beams. Extensive 20th-century redecoration, circa 1910, introduced plasterwork ceilings, panelling and tapestry in 17th-century style.

The building served as a Police Training College from 1951 to 1994, before conversion to private residential use.