Stanway House

Stanway House is a large country house of Grade I importance, situated in Stanway village. The building began as a late 16th-century and early 17th-century structure built for the Tracy family. It was substantially altered and enlarged in 1859 by architect W. Burn for the Earl of Wemyss, further altered in 1913 by Detmar Blow for a later Earl of Wemyss, and underwent additional alterations in 1949 (marked by a datestone).

The house is constructed of ashlar or coursed stone approaching ashlar quality, with a stone slate roof. It follows a large, irregular U-shaped plan. The garden front displays seven windows across two storeys, while the entrance courtyard front comprises the Great Hall and two further rooms at two-and-a-half storeys, with a single-storey four-window kitchen range beyond, connected by an archway to a two-and-a-half-storey return range.

The entrance courtyard is accessed through a wall approximately two metres high with a boarded door on the right, which links to the gatehouse. A plinth runs across with a moulded top. On the right stands a large canted bay serving the Great Hall, fitted with four-light mullion and transom windows containing two king mullions and four transoms, with plain leaded lights tinted in colour and a plain parapet with small pinnacles. To the left is an eight-panel door with L-hinges, positioned up five stone steps and flanked by fluted Doric pilasters with a frieze and pediment above. Below the main entrance level, three small openings exist within the plinth: two comprise three-light 19th-century mullion and transom windows with a buttress of canted coursing between them, while a single-light window occupies part of a blocked three-light opening, with evidence of a possible later blocked doorway in the same location. Two further three-light mullion windows with similar buttressing lie adjacent, with a courtyard wall projecting on the left at this point. A moulded string extends from the doorway, serving as a hoodmould. Above, to the left of the bay, three three-light mullion and transom windows light the Great Hall, each containing two transoms. Six further three-light mullion and transom windows are positioned above, at least three having had their sills lowered. A moulded string course extends from the bay to serve as a hoodmould. Above these sits a sequence of four gables, each containing a three-light mullion window with hoodmould, parapet gable and floral finial, with plain parapets between. Hipped dormers behind feature two-light casements with moulded eaves. Gable chimneys with diamond-set flues and moulded caps stand to the left.

The lower kitchen range to the left features a slightly-projecting gable with plinth and a six-light mullion and transom window containing two king mullions with centre lights carried up a further stage. The hoodmould steps up over the window, extending as a string each side. A slit in the gable above breaks the parapet gable with cross gablet apex. To the left of the plinth sits a three-light mullion and transom window rising into a parapet gable, followed by two three-light mullioned windows with louvred dormers above. Further left, a carriage archway rises into a gable with a four-centred arch, moulded arris and buttresses on each side. The brewhouse wing gable contains a plinth with three two-light mullion windows stacked vertically, a string course marking the first floor level, and a parapet gable above.

The right return garden front exhibits a plinth with all windows featuring ovolo-moulded mullion and transom work. Rectangular bays occupy each end, each with a six-light window containing two king mullions and two transoms. Two four-light similar windows with one king mullion flank a slightly-projecting centre. Largely-glazed double doors with a glazed light above ascend one stone step from a half landing, with five stone steps rising on each side; the doors are surrounded by moulded surround and framed attached Corinthian columns, topped by a segmental pediment bearing swags and a coat of arms. A continuous string course functions as a hoodmould. The first floor displays six-light windows with two king mullions to the bays and two four-light windows with king mullions flanking a projecting centre; a two-light window occupies the centre with a moulded surround indicating an earlier, wider opening, framed with ornate scroll consoles and a large keystone. Another continuous string course acts as hoodmould, with openwork strapwork pediments crowning the bays and centre and openwork cresting above the parapet between. Five ashlar chimneys with moulded caps rise behind, with a wide lead flat in front of the pitched roof.

The interior features a cross passage leading to the Hall, accessed through a six-panel door on the left with panels arranged in two rows, a double ovolo door surround and four-centred arch with strapwork spandrels. The Great Hall contains a fluted Roman Doric screen to the cross passage with frieze above and a plain wall cutting off the gallery. Seven hatchments hang within. The ceiling is divided into ten sections by moulded beams with counterchanged moulded joists between (joists remain non-counterchanged over the gallery). The ground floor of the wing fronting the garden steps up twice, following the natural slope of the land; end windows originally possessed blind bottom lights, now opened. All stairs contain solid oak treads, with the main stair later given separate treads; dado panelling runs throughout.

The drawing room features fielded panelling, a dado rail, Corinthian pilasters to the ceiling and moulded cornice, with a marble fireplace surround decorated with acanthus dentils. Panelled shutters are present, as is a mid-19th-century moulded plaster ceiling with pendants. Beyond secondary stairs lies a doorway to the end section of the wing, framed by a Tudor arch with sunk spandrels and double ovolo moulding. The library retains shelving dating to around 1770, featuring a broken pediment with dado rail and a moulded Gothic-style surround to the fireplace; a moulded plaster cornice runs above. An end room contains panelled shutters, a six-panel door, dado rail and moulded plaster cornice. Above occupies the garden wing, containing six-panel doors with small centre panels, dado rails, and a plain stone fireplace surround in the end room on the right; an adjoining room is said to have been papered by William Morris in person. Stairs ascend to the lead roof, which features tie beam trusses to the wing fronting the garden with angle struts to the collar, one pair of trapped purlins, and no ridge member; rafters are tenoned to a further purlin positioned just above wallplate level. One reused tie beam retains moulded timber.

The property belonged to Tewkesbury Abbey until the Reformation. The front to the courtyard represents the oldest part of the house, with the garden wing forming the first part built in the 17th century. The cross passage screen likely dates to the early 18th century; the centre doorway to the garden front, together with the window to its left and above, were altered to sashes and later reconverted by the mid-19th century, with a final conversion of the window above the door occurring in the mid-20th century.