Monkton Farleigh Manor

ST 86 NW MONKTON FARLEIGH MONKTON FARLEIGH VILLAGE (east side)

2/121 Monkton Farleigh Manor

13-11-62

GV I

Country house. Early to mid C18, altered c1870, on site of Cluniac priory founded 1125. Limestone ashlar, hipped stone slate roof with stone stacks. Rambling L-plan. Two-storey, 8-window entrance front. Central glazed Tuscan portico with half-glazed double doors, three 12-pane sashes in moulded architraves to left, three blocked windows and one sash to raised ground floor to right. Moulded string course to first floor; four 12-pane sashes to left and two sashes and two blocked to right. Moulded eaves cornice with consoles. Two gabled dormers with 2-light casements to attic. Wing projecting to left has half-glazed door to left of centre, two sashes to left and to right in moulded architraves with pulvinated friezes, first floor has four sashes in bolection-moulded architraves, moulded eaves cornice, lead rainwater head dated WS/1762; initials of Webb Seymour, Duke of Somerset, three gabled attic dormers, in angle between front and wing is 6-panelled door with sash over. South gable end of wing has two bolection-moulded sashes to ground and first floors. Rear of wing has C19 stone cross windows and pair of pointed lancets to gabled projection to right, blocked openings to left part, attic gable with 3-light chamfered mullioned casement, various reset fragments of C12 moulding from the priory, including a coffin lid with carved cross. East front, right return probably a remodelling of c1870, with seven 12-pane sashes to raised ground and first floors, all in moulded architraves with mask keystones, alternate cornices or plain pediments over sashes, basement with oculi, channelled quoins to modillioned cornice and plain blocking course, three dormers with alternate segmental or plain pediments and 16-pane sashes. Remains of orangery attached to right, now only 3 bays. Rear of main range has C19 flat-roofed additions, three blind C18 windows to first floor to left, pedimented chimney stacks. Interior: house extensively remodelled in 1870s and C20, when divided into three separate dwellings; centre flat in west wing has moulded cross beam ceiling with carved bosses, also entrance hall of main house, probably late C16, but dated 1919 in room known as Bishop Jewel's Room in west wing has early C18 full panelling. Main house has 6-panelled doors, shuttered windows, marble fireplaces, C19 plaster ceiling margins, C19 stairs with stick balusters. Bedroom retains C18 fielded panelling, fluted pilasters to round arched niche, egg and dart moulded ceiling cornice. House occupied by Seymour family 1737 to 1804, Wade Brown, the builder of Brown's Folly (q.v.) 1842 to 1851 and the Hobhouse family here from c1870, to present day. East front overlooks fine avenue. (N. Pevsner, The Buildings of England, Wiltshire, 1975; W.A.M. Vol 20, 1882)

Listing NGR: ST8062865584