Bettiscombe Manor House With Attached South Front Area Wall And Gate-Piers

Bettiscombe Manor House dates from around 1694, with possible origins in a 16th-century core to the main range. The house is constructed of brick in a Flemish bond pattern, featuring a regular arrangement of burnt headers, with ham stone rusticated quoins. A ham stone ovolo-moulded string course runs above the ground floor windows. The roof is slate, with stone gable-copings and moulded corbels, and brick stacks with rusticated stone quoins and moulded stone cornices are located at gable ends and on the rear-wing gables. The house is arranged in a U-plan, consisting of the main range with two rear wings. It has two storeys with attics. The front facade features five window bays, with renewed three-light wooden sash windows with a fluted motif to the ground floor, and segmental window heads. Ham stone cills are present. The front door, positioned slightly left of centre, is a six-panelled door set within a fluted wooden pilaster doorcase. Above the door are massive foliated scroll brackets supporting a Doric entablature and pediment. The east front incorporates one late 17th-century casement window. A staircase window is round-headed, featuring gauged brickwork, projecting imposts, and a keystone.

The interior hall contains a panelled screen with three elliptical arches and dropped keys. The ceiling is divided into twelve compartments; six on the right-hand side retain 16th-century moulded beams with a sunk oak-leaf pattern. The relatively low ceiling and the presence of these beams suggest a 16th-century core to the house. There is high-quality, recessed paneling throughout the house, with some elements recently renewed. Fireplaces feature overmantels and surrounds, and one incorporates glazed tiles and grate fittings dating from around 1700. Closets are panelled alongside chimney breasts, with original tables, drawers, and shelves. The staircase has fluted newels with Roman Doric capitals and faces, a ramped handrail, three fluted balusters per tread, and dates from around 1720. The Hall floor is laid with massive Blue Lias flagstones.

Attached to the south front of the house is a low brick wall with ham stone copings and wrought-iron railings. This wall forms a small paved area and incorporates ham stone gate-piers. The piers are square, with moulded plinths, two recessed panels to each face, and ogee and round-moulded heads to the upper panels. Doric cornices with cavetto spur-finials complete the gate-piers. The wall and gate-piers date from the early 18th century.