Kilmeston Manor

SU 52 NE KILMESTON KILMESTON

5/43 Kilmeston Manor 5.12.55 (formerly listed as The GV II* Manor House)

Small country house. C16, C17, c1720, c1780, 1894, 1906. Part timber-frame encased in brick, gables tilehung, brick additions, old plain tile roof. C16 timber-frame building of hall with crosswing. Opposite crosswing C17 service wing added and later this side give brick face with decorated brick gable end to service wing, and at other end of hall to projecting 2 storey porch. Porch front has pilasters rising into gable with scroll and ball finials above. 1st floor string course entablature with vine frieze, and modillioned moulded cornice with sash built off it. In gable between finials short, similar entablature below opening for small C18 16-pane sash and above window even shorter length with similar decoration. Other front rebuilt c1720 by Ridge family when they inherited the manor, encasing crosswing in brick and rebuilding hall. When Sir Thomas Ridge, founder of the Hampshire Hunt, was entertaining George III and the Prince Regent, c1780 he built a matching wing to the crosswing with large rooms. House restored internally in 1894 when dining hall built and front door to late C18 end where covered entrance was built. In 1906 this was replaced by bathroom wing and Dutch gabled porch. C18 front has centre part of 3 storeys, 5 bays with slightly projecting central bay, and 2 storey 2 bay wings projecting forward 2 bays. Central 6 panel double door having architrave surround in doorcase of Ionic pilasters, frieze and modillioned cornice, and pediment. Each side 12-pane segmental headed sashes with rubbed brick arches. Above 5 similar windows with all except centre having blank panels below window. 2nd floor has 5 6-pane single sashes with similar features. Wings each have 4 tall 18-pane segmental head sashes, but one in left wing is door with fanlight. Thick glazing bars except in right wing. Lead hopper heads and downpipes. Plain parapet with small stone coping. Roof hipped with small stacks on right side of each wing and behind ridge of central roof each end and to right of centre. Internally in late C17 porch wing early C18 panelling, and C18 staircase and late C18 panelling in late C18 wing built for royalty. VCH; 1908; Vol 3; p 323. 'Buildings of England'; N Pevsner; Penguin; 1966; p309.

Listing NGR: SU5909526404