Ashton Court Mansion And Stables

Ashton Court Mansion and Stables

Country house, now in public use. The building originates from the 15th century, with significant alterations and extensions made around 1635 (the south-west wing), followed by late 18th and early 19th century remodelling, and further alterations around 1885. The exterior is rendered with freestone dressings, slate roofs with coped verges, coped parapets with moulded eaves cornices. The building is 2 storeys with attics throughout.

The south-west facing elevation consists of projecting wings to the north and south with a recessed centre. The centre contains the medieval core: three windows with 4 and 2 lights, featuring cusped ogee heads under square hood moulds on the ground floor and 4-centred heads above (all early 19th century, restored); attics within 2 steep gables with finials. A central porch tower of ashlar carries an embattled parapet. A later single-storey porch with panelled gothic pilasters, embattled parapet with pinnacles and pointed arch doorway with carved spandrels projects forward. To the left is an advanced 2-storey, 2-bay section with one 4-light Perpendicular style window and other 3-light cross windows with moulded mullions and surrounds.

The north wing (library or billiard-room) was remodelled around 1805 with 3 bays: ashlar on the ground floor with 4-light windows at the centre; rendered on the second floor with 2-light windows and string courses between floors. Two gables contain blocked bullseye windows surmounted by paired circular chimneys with moulded cornices and caps. A polygonal ashlar turret with embattled parapet sits at the left end. The gable end features a 2-storey canted bay with gothic glazing bar sash windows with ogee heads in moulded and panelled ogee-headed architraves. The north side of the wing contains 3 gothic glazing bar sash windows under ogee heads. The south range matches the north wing but spans 4 bays without the bay window on the gable end.

The south-east facing elevation contains a central 3-stage and attic gatehouse of late medieval date but extensively remodelled, particularly in the 19th century. Built of ashlar, it features flanking polygonal stair turrets with plain parapets and single and 2-light windows with trefoil heads. A panelled doorcase with arcaded frieze and panelled and traceried door stands centrally, with a 4-light window on the second stage and 3-light windows on the third stage under an arched string course. A stepped gable and central clock crown the structure. To the left is the rendered classical wing of around 1635: 5, 3, 2, and 3 bays of large-pane sash windows under alternating triangular and segmental pediments on the ground floors and cornices on brackets on the first floor; 2, 5, and 2 bullseye windows in the attic storey and a fretwork frieze with ball finials on the pedestals. The basement contains 3 paired shell-headed niches and 2 oval panels. To the right is the 7-bay ashlar music room wing: 4-light cross windows on the ground floor, 3- and 5-light windows on the first floor, all with cinquefoil heads under square hoodmoulds; buttresses between bays; embattled parapet with pinnacles.

The stables wing faces north-east, built of ashlar with 2 storeys: 3, 3, and 3 bays with an embattled central parapet and plain side parapets. Polygonal turrets flank the centre, featuring lancet and cross-loop windows. A central 4-centred headed doorway and blocked 4-centred headed coach-entries to each side (now with inserted 3-light cusped windows) are present, with circular pitching eyes at the centre of the first floor. The outer bays feature similar doorways with flanking 3-light cusped windows.

Interior features are extensive. The inner porch has a vaulted ceiling. The Great Hall features a blocked 4-centred headed doorway to the north-east in a moulded surround; 2 large 4-centred headed moulded archways to the south-east and west, the latter leading to a dog-leg staircase with closed string, twisted Ionic balusters and a cornice and handrail with classical moulding. An elaborate gothic fireplace with panelled piers, embattled top, moulded surround, gabled overmantel with decorative tympanum, and gothic style iron grate is present.

The refectory or kitchen contains a 3-bay arch-braced collar beam roof with 3 tiers of windbracing (restored). The library or billiard room is finished in gothic style with arcaded walls with ogee heads, finials and pendants; an elaborate cornice and ceiling with panelled centre surrounded by 8 drawn-out ogee panels; a Corinthian columned marble fireplace; and china cupboards with gothic glazing.

The inner hall features a bolection moulded fire surround with a reset datestone of 1691. The drawing room (or long gallery) contains a large bolection moulded fire-surround with Ionic columns (remains of a 17th century frieze survive in another room); on the first floor is an elaborate marble fireplace with Corinthian pilasters, plain frieze, and central open pediment with carved embellishments of fruit, flanked by half swan-necked pediments.

Large and small panelled rooms feature raised and fielded panels with raised borders; bolection moulded fireplaces under pulvinated friezes; and panelled doors in shouldered architraves. The vaulted hall contains a fan-vaulted roof with a cylindrical central pier. The music room features a coffered ceiling and linenfold panelled walls; two ashlar fireplaces with moulded 4-centred arches and large hoods supported on twisted and panelled piers; and a central segmental headed niche. The stables include a southern section with elaborate cast iron gothic style loose boxes with panelled sides.