Notton House

Notton House, now a school, was originally built around 1750 and substantially altered between 1830 and 1840. It is constructed of squared rubble stone with ashlar dressings, featuring low-pitched slate roofs and prominent ashlar stacks. The main house consists of a three-storey, three-window centre block, likely dating back to around 1750 and subsequently refronted between 1830 and 1840. Two-storey, one-window pavilions were added at either end, connected by narrow, two-storey, one-window links.

The centre block exhibits flush quoins, a first-floor band, a moulded cornice, and a parapet, along with two front-wall stacks. The attic windows have nine panes, set within eared architraves, while the remaining windows have sixteen panes and elaborate cornices on consoles, with balconies framing the window heads on scrolled brackets. The main doorway is situated within an ashlar open porch featuring paired columns of unusual, unfluted Greek Doric style with an entablature and balustrade above. The porch contains plaster vaulting. The narrow links have full-width, segment-headed tripartite windows on the ground floor, and twelve-pane, segment-headed sashes above. The end pavilions mirror the detail of the outer bays of the centre block, with sixteen-pane sash windows on each floor, a cornice, and a parapet. A plain south side with three windows is located on the left pavilion.

The rear of the centre and right pavilions showcases a mid-18th century six-window front with raised ashlar dressings, a small cornice, and an ashlar parapet. The windows have twelve panes on the main floors and six panes in the attic. The third bay is slightly advanced and features raised quoins, an applied pediment in the parapet, a door within a moulded surround with a hood on brackets, an arched stair light above, and a twelve-pane window above. All windows incorporate unusual, small keystones.

Projecting from the north-west angle is a Roman Doric orangery dating from around 1900, featuring three bays, a lean-to hipped roof, and a coped screen wall. Behind the screen wall stands a projecting, gabled "chapel" built of rubble stone, incorporating a 15th or 16th century canopied niche displaying the carved Baynard family arms in the gable, and an 18th century Gothic, two-light, pointed first-floor window. An octagonal timber cupola sits at the west end of the ridge, with a north side chimney gable. The building’s origins may be ancient or incorporate stonework from Lackham House, which was demolished in 1791.

Inside, the front hall and central upstairs rooms feature fielded panelling. There are two mid-18th century bolection fireplaces on the upper floors, and a mid-18th century staircase with turned balusters and a panelled dado. Regency-style plasterwork adorns the stair-hall in the link to the south pavilion, and the door and window furniture is consistent throughout both floors of the pavilions.

The house was owned by the Awdry family from 1766, when John Awdry purchased it from Edward Montagu, who had occupied the house for 24 years, as documented in a letter held at the Wiltshire Records Office (WRO 109/511). Sir J. W. Awdry (1795-1878) served as Chief Justice of Bombay.