Shute House

DONHEAD ST. MARY CHURCH HILL ST 92 SW (west side)

7/51 Shute House 6.1.66 II

Rectory now detached house. Late C16 with early C18 addition to south. Limestone ashlar and rubble stone, tiled roof with hips to C18 range, stone slate eaves to earlier ranges, brick stacks. L- plan C16 range with parallel C18 range. Two-storey and basement, 3-window front to C18 range, at right angles to road. Centre bay breaks forward with glazed door in moulded architrave with keystone and pediment on consoles, 15-pane sash either side. Steps up to doorway over channelled rusticated basement with segmental-headed casement left and right. First floor has central 15-pane sash in eared architrave with keystone and scrolled shoulders, 15-pane sash either side, pediment over centre bay, ovolo-moulded stone cornice and chanelled rusticated quoins to sides and centre bay. Right return has two 15-pane sashes to ground and first floors, set back from this is C20 entrance porch attached to late C16 cross wing, with 6-panelled door in moulded stone architrave, said to be from Bowood House, With 12-pane fixed window either side. Left return of C18 range has 15-pane sash to both floors, stair hall to rear has lunette to basement and 15-pane round-arched stair window over. Late C16 range, now service wing, to right of porch is at right angles to road; two 2-light leaded casements, one 2-light recessed chamfered mullioned casement, 2-light wooden casement to ground floor, first floor has three 2-light casements, one reset round- arched C16 casement and 2-light mullioned casement. Gable end has one square-headed and one round-headed casement to attic. Rear of range has 6-panelled door, leaded casements including large 7-light kitchen window, first floor also has blocked chamfered lights. Rear of cross range facing garden has glazed door and 12-pane sashes with keystones. Interior: Original C16 range altered to service wing, probably in early C18, but retains deeply chamfered beams with stepped stops or runout stops, some doors with two raised panels and wainscot panelling in small sitting room. Early C18 range has fine stair hall with open well stairs with two turned balusters to treads with carved ends, wide ramped handrail and panelled dado. Main rooms have doors with six fielded panels, panelled window shutters, library has egg and dart moulded ceiling cornice, drawing room has dentilled cornice and both rooms have reset marble fireplaces. Attached to right of service wing is former garage converted to billiard room in 1970, with 15-pane sashes, attic dormers and large external stone stack to north gable. Ceased to be the rectory during 1940s. (N. Pevsner, The Buildings of England, Wiltshire, 1975)

Listing NGR: ST9044024520