West Facade At Kiftsgate Court

The west facade of Kiftsgate Court, dating to the late 18th century, was originally part of Middleton Manor and was relocated during the construction of Kiftsgate Court between 1887 and 1891. The remainder of the house, built in a 17th-century style, is not of sufficient heritage importance to be separately listed. The facade was built for Walwyn Graves, who died in 1813.

The facade is constructed of ashlar and extends around a gable end of a projecting wing to the left, along the right wall of that wing, at right angles along the rear of the main body of the house, projecting slightly at the centre, and continuing around its right gable end. It has two storeys, with the main floor elevated.

The gable end of the projecting wing to the left features a single-storey portico supported by eight Ionic columns, with one free-standing and one engaged column on either side. A stone balustrade links the columns, with openings for access on either side. A parapet sits above the portico. Behind the portico, the gable has moulded eaves cornices with dentil decoration and a continuous string course that extends around the right wall and across the facade of the main house.

The first floor of the projecting wing features two two-light sash windows with horns and moulded architraves. There are four similar windows along the right wall of the wing. A former pedimented doorway is located in the right wall of the wing, towards the gable end, now blocked and housing a 20th-century door flanked by engaged Ionic columns with six-pane sash windows on either side, itself flanked by Ionic pilasters. A similar doorway and door are positioned towards the right, in the gable end, accompanied by a two-light stone mullioned casement to the left, with partial 20th-century plank glazing and a door to the far left.

The main facade of the right wing incorporates a pattern of 2:2:2 windows, each with moulded architraves splayed at the bottom with flat lintels and cushion mouldings. Moulded windows flank a central glazed ground-floor door with keystones. A continuous string course serves as the sill for the upper windows. All windows are 2-pane sashes with horns. The ground floor is rusticated with a projecting, pedimented portico above. The portico’s pediment is supported by six Ionic columns at the front, with single free-standing columns at either side, running back to Ionic pilasters, all connected by a stone balustrade. A central first-floor doorway from the portico features a lugged architrave and triangular pediment, supported on long, thin decorated brackets, topped with a 20th-century glazed door.