White Hart Hotel

MORETONHAMPSTEAD THE SQUARE (south side), SX 7586 Moretonhampstead 8/174 White Hart Hotel - 23.8.55 GV II

Hotel, formerly a coaching inn. Circa mid C18 with late C19 extensions at rear. Rendered, probably stone rubble. Steeply pitched hipped slate roof. Circa late C19 brick shafts to chimneystacks. Central wide entrance through-passage with service end to right and inn to left. The right-hand room is said to have been formerly the kitchen and has a blocked fireplace on rear wall and stairs originally rising to staff accommodation above. To left of passage the inn which extends to rear to form overall L-shaped plan. The left-hand range has main stairs at centre for access to visitors room above. The former kitchen to right is now a dining room and the present kitchen is in a short early C20 wing immediately behind. Possibly circa mid C19 wing was built to rear left and a stable range at right angles forming the third side of a courtyard. 3 storeys and attic. Almost symmetrical 5-window range, more closely spaced to right. Circa late C19 4-pane sashes. The ground storey has different fenestration, 3 late C19 4-pane sashes to right, 2-light sash to left of centre and 5-light horizontally sliding sash to left. Wide entrance doorway to right of centre with very large wooden fluted Roman Doric engaged columns and entablature with bracketed cornice, this was originally a porch with freestanding columns. Interior: the plan is intact except for the blocking at the rear of the passage by the second stairs which give access to the rooms over the service end. The original C18 main stairs is on 3 floors, dogleg type with moulded string turned balusters and moulded handrail ramped over square newels. Panelled dado to bar in left-hand room. The rest of the joinery appears to be largely late C19. A fairly unaltered C18 coaching innstill in use as an hotel. Situated in a prominent central position in Moretonhampstead its virtually complete exterior makes a valuable contribution to the townscape.

Listing NGR: SX7534486041