Nethway House

Nethway House is a country house situated within a small park, dating back to 1699. It was originally built for John Fownes. The house is constructed of red brick in a Flemish bond pattern, with a bituminised slate hipped roof and a heavy moulded wooden cornice featuring modillions. Prominent brick corner pilasters are present, resting on moulded sandstone bases. The house has a stone plinth and its design follows a double-depth plan, extending over three storeys and including cellars. The facade is arranged with a 2:3:2 bay layout, with the central three bays projecting slightly and featuring a breaking-forward eaves cornice. Sash windows with glazing bars are set within cambered brick arches. The central doorway is distinguished by red sandstone pilasters, a stone entablature, a semi-circular fanlight, and a panelled door. A seven-bay rear elevation and five-storey side elevations are also present, with the first and second floors rendered. Four plain rendered chimney stacks are symmetrically placed on the ridge. A two-storey service wing extends to the east, built of stone rubble with a rendered south side and sash windows. This wing was later converted into three cottages and was likely originally stables.

The interior is notably well-preserved, featuring bolection moulded panelling in the principal ground floor rooms, alongside contemporary and later 18th-century chimney pieces and moulded plaster ceilings. The entrance hall showcases a fine plaster over-mantel depicting garlands, a cartouche with a helmet and putti. The stair hall at the rear contains a grand open-well staircase leading to the first floor, characterized by a moulded string, turned balusters, a heavy moulded handrail, and a ramped-up square newel. A panelled and pilastered dado is present, along with a fine moulded plaster landing ceiling featuring an oval motif with laurel branches, eagles, a heavy cornice with acanthus leaves and eagles. Bedrooms exhibit moulded plaster cornices, with one room entirely panelled. An attic room also has a moulded plaster cornice. A secondary staircase, located on the east side of the house, is a full-height dog-leg design, including a moulded string, heavy moulded balusters and handrail, and a semicircular newel, believed to be fashioned from half a ship’s mast. A moulded square sandstone plaque on the right-hand side of the ground floor reads: "The Within House was built by John Fownes Esquire Anno Domini 1699". Historical records suggest King Charles II may have visited Nethway in July 1671, implying the existence of an earlier structure on the site.