Kitley House

Kitley House is a large country house situated within a landscaped park, dating to the 1820s and 1825. It represents an extensive remodelling by G.S. Repton for E.P. Bastard, undertaken on a house built in 1710. This, in turn, replaced a house of circa 16th century origin, with remnants of which surviving in the basement. The house is constructed of ashlar with granite dressings, topped with a bitumenised slate roof. It is built in a Tudor/Jacobean style, approximately square in plan, and exhibits symmetrical elevations with gables, octagonal turrets at the corners topped with granite pinnacles and ogee finials, and large octagonal granite chimney stacks with moulded caps and bases. The house has two storeys, attics, and a basement.

The north entrance front is arranged with three bays, a central projection featuring a crenellated porch and chimney stack above. The south elevation is similar, displaying a central crenellated oriel and gable flanked by chimney stacks on shallow oriels. This elevation is built over a four-centred arch arcaded loggia with pinnacles at either end. The west elevation features gables on the right and left, with shallow crenellated bays set back at first floor level, including a clock turret in the roof. A projecting gabled bay is present on the ground floor, with large round-headed windows in moulded four-centred arch openings at the lower garden level. The west and south sides are built on terraces overlooking the landscaped gardens, which fall away steeply. The east side possesses gables on either side with shallow crenellated bays, with a central projecting section featuring a gabled shallow oriel. The windows have moulded wooden mullions and transoms, and wooden dormers are crenellated. Some 16th century material remains in the basement, including mullion windows and four-centred arch doorways.

The interior features mostly 18th and early 19th century details. A notable feature is an early 18th century panelled staircase hall with giant fluted pilasters and a round arched doorway, leading to a very fine early 18th century staircase with diverging flights meeting on a landing, incorporating three twisted and fluted balusters per tread and Corinthian column newels. A Regency Library retains remarkably intact decorations from circa 1825.

The estate was held by the Pollexfens family from the early 16th century and passed to Pollexfen Bastard in 1710, following his father's marriage to the Pollexfen heiress. Sarah Martin wrote "The Comic Adventures of Old Mother Hubbard and Her Dog" here in 1805, with the character Mother Hubbard believed to be based on the housekeeper at Kitley.

The landscaped park dates to the 18th century, with some 19th century additions.