Burnt Norton With Service Wing

Manor house dating from the 17th and 18th centuries, formerly known as Burnt Norton House. The building features a 17th-century brick facade now at the rear. Extensive alterations were undertaken in 1901–2 by Sir Guy Dawber for the Earl of Harrowby, affecting particularly the north and east facades, and the interior was completely remodelled and modernised at the same time.

The main structure is constructed in coursed and squared limestone with some dressed limestone in the upper part of the left gable, while the rear wall is of brick. The roof is limestone slate with flat coping and pierced, pointed finials. The building displays twin ashlar stacks with moulded top courses and lower courses on the right side, two brick stacks (one multi-angular at front left), and some reused decorative 17th-century ironwork guttering featuring a long rainwater head decorated with interlace patterns. The service wing, attached to the left, is of brick with a projecting brick and limestone stack towards its right front, parallel to the main body, and a multi-angular brick stack from the attached wing at right angles to its left. An octagonal bell and clock lantern with ogee curved leaded roof and weather vane crowns the structure.

The main body forms an almost square block with a service wing attached to the left and set back from the facade. The service wing is L-shaped in plan with a wing projecting forward on the left. The main body comprises two storeys and an attic, with a cellar below the current facade. The service wing rises to two storeys and an attic, with its left wing being single storey with an attic.

The main facade features four gables, with the left gable set back slightly. The three right gables, added in 1901–2, are lit by windows of 2, 3 and 5-light flat chamfered stone mullioned design, and 3, 4 and 4-light stone mullioned and transomed windows with central King mullions. To the left is a canted two-bay window with mullioned and transomed lower windows and a mullioned window to the first floor, displaying a decorative open-work parapet inscribed with the date 19H02. The gable at the far left, which possibly incorporates 17th-century elements, is lit by 2-light 20th-century mullioned and transomed windows. A single light window with blind and round head with keystone sits to the right of the front door. Five steps flanked by low walls with moulded capping stones and a pair of ball finials lead to an unpainted four-panel front door set in a roll-moulded surround with decorative steps, flanked by rusticated pilasters on engaged plinths bearing geometric decoration in relief.

The rear wall features 12-pane sashes with wide glazing bars in segmental headed surrounds. The service wing is lit by 2, 3 and 4-light metal casements, some with segmental heads and some with transoms. A very large sundial with triangular pediment and scrolled brackets to either side extends from the eaves to the rear of the service wing. The left wing incorporates 2 and 3-light dormers with curving gables. A central wide segmental archway flanked by two brick buttresses with curved limestone slate cappings punctuates the service wing elevation, with a raking buttress to the left wall.

Subsidiary features include a semi-circular brick wall with two square brick piers flanking the entrance, with limestone ball finials, attached to the left wall of the service wing at right angles to the main body and forming a small yard outside the former stables.

The site was originally occupied by a farmhouse-like dwelling built in 1620 by Lord Saye and Sele. A brick front, now at the rear, was added in the early 18th century. In 1716 the house passed to the Keyte family. In 1741 extensions built by Sir William Keyte burnt down, giving the building its present name. The gardens of Burnt Norton provided inspiration for T.S. Eliot's "Burnt Norton," one of the Four Quartets.