The Manor House

SEEND HIGH STREET ST 9461 (south side) 12/306 The Manor House (formerly listed as Seend 19.3.62 Manor House)

GV II*

Country House, 1767 for Ambrose Awdry IV, extended to north in early C19, ashlar main range, with slate mansard roof and end stacks, north front rendered with ashlar dressings, slate hipped roof and west end stack. Basement, 2-storeys and attic. Fine 5- window formal south front with high moulded plinth, ground floor sill-band, modillion cornice and parapet. Plain 12-pane sash windows to both floors, ground foor centre altered to French window with steps up. Five flat dormers. Three-window end-walls with blank windows, mouldings carried around and pediment feature on broad stacks with three blank panels, pediment over and concave- curved coping each side. East end wall has fine lead rainwater heads dated 1767. East end former kitchen with moulded plinth, moulded cornice and large c1900 four-light mullion-and-transom south window. North range is added, probably around stair- projection of 1767 house, of which hipped roof is visible. West end is ashlar with 2-window range of blank windows, and panelled chimney with ramped coping. Five-window north front has ashlar plinth, angle piers, thin cornice and parapet and plain ashlar surrounds to upper windows. Eight-pane sashes throughout, tripartite to first floor centre. Render lined as ashlar above and channel-rusticated below with arches over windows. Centre half-glazed door with traceried fanlight in Ionic ashlar 2-column porch with pilaster responds raised on three stone steps. Interior: 1767 range has exceptional ground floor rooms with fine plaster friezes and panelled doors in heavy pedimented surrounds. Dining room to east, has large marble fireplace with pulvinated frieze. Drawing-room, to west, has fine parti-coloured marble fireplace with scrolled jambs. Plaster friezes to entrance hall, first floor landing and small first floor centre room which has Palladian tripartite surrounds to doorway and cupboards each side. Staircase, with turned balusters, appears part of forward extension of house c1820. Former kitchen at east end has large Tudor-arched stone fireplace with similar Tudor-arched recesses each side, probably all mid to late C18. Ambrose Awdry II bought the site in 1695 and built a 'mansion house' before 1701. Ambrose Awdry IV inherited 1761, rebuilt it 1767 and was outlawed for debt 1783. Ambrose Awdry V regained the house in 1812 and the north front may have been added by him. (E. Bradby, Seend A Wiltshire Village, 1981, 74, 196-7.

Listing NGR: ST9447161044