Coniston Hall

Coniston Hall is a large house, now partially a farmhouse, with sections used by a sailing club, and some parts in ruins. The core of the building dates to the late 16th century, although a southwest wing may be earlier. It is constructed of stone rubble with a slate roof. The house follows a T-plan, with the ruins of a wing extending from the northeast angle.

The main facade has four bays, with the gable of the ruined wing on the left. The fourth bay projects beneath the gable, supporting a two-storey, re-entrant porch with a lean-to roof. Most windows have wooden, chamfered mullioned frames. An 18th-century earth ramp with stone retaining walls runs alongside the second bay, indicating a conversion to barn use at that time. The ground floor incorporates a four-light window in the first bay, a casement in the third, and a casement with iron opening lights in the fourth. The first floor has five- and four-light mullioned windows with transoms, flanking an inserted barn entrance; the fourth bay features a four-light transomed window. The entrance is located within the re-entrant porch, which itself has a two-light window. A blocked three-light attic window is also present. The ruined wing shows footings of walls, with a gable-end displaying a ground floor fireplace with a bressummer and a first floor fireplace with a four-centred head. Blocked entrances to three floors are visible to the right. Within the wall thickness on the left is a garderobe, complete with a seat, which is now exposed. The right return has a projecting lateral stack with a round shaft on a square base, and windows with small-paned casements. The rear displays gable ends and lateral stacks similar to the other elevations, with two-light ground floor windows and a two-light window in a deep recess to the left of the stack in the first, gabled, bay. The end two bays feature four- and five-light transomed windows. The left return incorporates a projecting stair turret in the angle, with two-light windows, and gable-end stacks, the one on the ruined wing being truncated.

Internally, the ground floor features stopped chamfered spine beams with run-out stops, a four-centred arch to a fireplace, and a spiral stair with oak treads on stone. The first floor has arch-braced collar trusses, one originally incorporating partitions. Deeply moulded architraves frame panelling on the upper end, dating back to the late 16th century, and two fireplaces with four-centred heads are also present. The farmhouse section contains plank and muntin partitions and a panelled door which may have originally been part of screens. Coniston Hall is owned by The National Trust.