The Convent

STOURTON WITH GASPER STOURHEAD PARK ST 73 SE (west side) 6/165 The Convent 6.1.66 GV I Gothic fantasy cottage. Circa 1765 for Henry Hoare of Stourhead House (q.v.). Rocky limestone with some flint, thatched roof, stone fantasy stacks. Single-storey with attics. Main range has canted bay with three pointed openings facing south, central French windows flanked by windows with Y-tracery and hexagonal leaded glazing, large stone stack to right has central obelisk pinnacle with four smaller pinnacles around base. Lower range to right has central stone porch with pointed opening and planked inner door, pointed window with Y-tracery either side, right gable end has bellcote with pointed arched opening and cross finial. Right return has pointed attic casement, C20 ground floor pointed window to right. Left return has flanking square corner turrets with pierced pyramidal cappings with finials, ground floor has three trefoil-headed leaded windows, attic with trefoil-he-aded 2-light window, coped verge to gable. Rear range rebuilt 1980s with facades in same rocky style with pointed casements and pointed moulded doorway. Interior: Drawing room has groin vaulted ceiling with-pebble-dashed finish, pointed niches on west wall flanking window. 1980s gothic fireplace. Dining room has flagstone floor and stone corbels to ceiling. Original roof retained. Originally said to have contained painted panels depicting nuns of different orders and stained glass from Glastonbury. Little is known of the origins of this building, but it was presumably built as a picturesque pavilion for carriage and riding excursions from Stourhead House. (K. Woodbridge, The Stourhead Landscape, 1982; N. Pevsner, The Buildings of England, Wiltshire, 1975).

Listing NGR: ST7569034690