The Courts

ST 8661 HOLT THE WALK (south side)

10/80 The Courts (formerly listed as Holt Court) 13-11-62

GV II*

Country house. Early C18, extended late C19 and early C20. Limestone ashlar front, dressed limestone returns, stone slate roof with gable end stone stacks and coped verges. Rambling L-plan. Two-storey and attic, 5-window front. Central door with 8 fielded panels in Tuscan portico with segmental pediment, round-arched side sashes with keystones and imposts and cornices, two flanking 15- pane sashes in moulded architraves, the inner ones with scrolled pediments, the outer with broken pediments. First floor has central 15-pane sash with scrolled pediment on Ionic columns and round-arched side sashes, two flanking bays have sashes with broken or scrolled pediments as ground floor. Raised pediment with round-arched sash over centre, channelled quoins up to moulded cornice. Two hipped attic dormers with 2-light casements. Left return has two blind beaded windows to ground and first floors, single-light casements with iron balconies to attic, attached early C20 loggia on Ionic columns on corner. Rear has gabled C18 stair turret and wing to left with 12-pane and 18-pane sashes, early C19 porch with round-arched sash with margin glazing bars to left, attached early C20 two-storey addition to right with sashes and flat roof, single-storey 1880s dining room to left, hipped dormer to main roof. C18 L-plan services project to right of front, with 2-light cyma-mullioned casements, one in blocked doorway, gable end has round-arched sash with keystone and imposts, lean-to extensions attached to right return, mullioned casements to first floor. Interior: Central entrance hall has fireplace with dentil cornice, moulded panelling and plaster ceiling cornice, good stairs to rear with two turned balusters per tread, wreathed moulded handrail, dado with fielded panelling, fluted newels and pilasters on dado, elliptical arched doorways off landings. Sitting room to left of entrance has fireplace with scrolled frieze and dentil cornice, full raised panelling. Library has grey marble fireplace with paterae and Delft tiles. 1880s dining room, now billiard room, has bolection-moulded fireplace and wainscot panelling with strapwork frieze, said to be from Tytherton Manor, panelled ceiling. Probably built for a clothier, until 1888 there was a mill within the grounds. Early C20 additions by Sir George Hastings who also laid out features in the garden. Now a property of the National Trust. (Country Life, 1st and 8th January, 1943)

Listing NGR: ST8611461803