Urchfont Manor

Urchfont Manor is a large house dating from around 1680, originally built for Sir William Pynsent, and incorporating portions of an earlier 15th-century house. It was altered in approximately 1700 and 1767. The house is constructed primarily of Flemish brick with stone quoins and dressings, and has a clay tile roof replacing original limestone slates.

The original 15th-century structure was likely a simple east-west dwelling, forming the core of the later house. A parallel range was added to the south in the early 1680s, consisting of seven bays with a central entrance. Further expansion occurred around 1700, possibly by William Talman (whose father resided at Eastcott and sold land to Pynsent), involving the construction of a grand saloon or hall on the east front, and a balancing wing on the north, utilising reclaimed materials. A lean-to was added to the rear of the east block, and a single-storey range at the northwest corner, likely in the mid-18th century.

The principal east front features seven bays, with the central section distinguished by finer brickwork in lime putty, raised stone quoins, and a pedimented attic. A central ovolo-moulded door is framed by open segmental pediments supported by Corinthian columns, with a matching segmental pediment above the first-floor window. Flanking sash windows have bolection-moulded architraves and triangular pediments, the lower part of which functions as a string course. Bays 1 and 2 retain cross windows, but now have added pediments and a pulvinated frieze. Bays 6 and 7 replicate the design of the front facade, incorporating reclaimed materials. Basement windows are of moulded stone. The eaves are boxed, and the roof is hipped.

The earlier south elevation, also with seven bays, shows a shifted central doorway, originally moved to the east front and replaced with a window. Cross windows have been converted to 12-pane sashes and sills lowered. A stone basement features moulded windows. On the rear elevation, of four bays and using English bond brickwork, original chamfered cross windows are visible, set within gauged brick arches and a moulded string course. The 18th-century door in the second bay has a 19th-century metal fanlight. Chamfered stone windows characterize the mid-18th-century domestic extensions.

Internally, the west-wing hall retains a late 15th to early 16th-century stone open fireplace, possibly reset into a brick stack. A notable late 17th-century open-well staircase, originally with two symmetrical upper flights (altered in the 19th century to one), and a smaller stair with splat balusters, is found at the rear. South front rooms have been altered in the 20th century. One central room features a bolection-moulded limestone fireplace, while the east room has a timber surround with marble slips dating from 1770-90. The hall, now a dining room, is panelled with bolection moulding and a cornice, including an end bolection-moulded fireplace with a painting above. Dado panelling is present in the stairwell and some upper rooms. Early 18th-century dormers have been removed. Stop-chamfered spine beams with run-out stops are also present.