Apethorpe Palace Formerly Known As Apethorpe Hall

Apethorpe Palace is a grand country house with an exceptionally complex building history spanning five centuries. The core was built in the late 15th century for Sir Guy Wolston, with major extensions in the mid-16th century for Sir Walter Mildmay. Around 1623, Sir Francis Fane, later Earl of Westmorland, rebuilt the south and east ranges as lavish state apartments. An orangery was added in 1718, probably designed by John Lumley. The house underwent substantial remodelling around 1740, probably by architect Roger Morris, for the seventh Earl of Westmorland. Further alterations followed in the mid-19th century by architects Bryan and Edward Browning for the eleventh Earl, and in the early 20th century by Sir Reginald Blomfield for the first Lord Brassey.

The building is constructed of squared coursed limestone and limestone ashlar, with Collyweston slate and lead roofs. From an original hall with cross-wings, the house developed into a double courtyard plan. It displays a rich mixture of Elizabethan, Jacobean and Palladian architectural styles across two main storeys with attics.

The east range forms the main entrance front, dating from around 1623. Built of limestone ashlar, it presents a nine-window facade of alternating two-light and four-light stone mullion windows with transoms, the larger windows having king mullions. The centre bay projects slightly and is crowned with a shaped gable and finial, with similar gables on the flanking end bays. Lateral projecting chimney stacks, each with two flues, frame the central three bays. The central porch is an impressive composition with two pairs of Roman Doric columns on plinths, paired plain pilasters flanking the inner archway, a frieze with irregularly spaced triglyphs and rosettes, and an open balustrade with a central female bust. The inner arch has a jewelled keystone and fielded panelled spandrels. Two-bay arcades of semi-circular arches with keyblocks flanking the porch are early 20th-century reconstructions of an original arcade removed in the mid-19th century. A chamfered plinth runs along the base with blocked cellar windows to the left. Moulded string courses appear above the ground floor window heads and as a double course above the first floor windows. The parapet has subdivisions with finials and merlons at the mid-points of the flanking ranges. Behind the parapet, the gabled roof features 18th-century gabled dormers.

The south range, forming the garden front and extending to the left of the entrance front, presents an irregular arrangement. The far left bay is of ashlar and projects forward, featuring a two-storey, five-light stone mullion canted bay window in a style matching the entrance front. The four central bays have three gables of squared coursed limestone, added to the existing range in the early 20th century, with lateral stacks between each bay. The bay to the right is subdivided: part projects forward with a two-storey, six-light stone mullion canted bay window with transoms, and part has four-light stone mullion windows. The ground and first floors of the three central bays and left bay project forward in three stages, featuring an eight-bay open loggia at ground floor with semi-circular arches and diamond keyblocks. This loggia was added around 1848 by Bryan Browning and has a flat roof. The south bay arcade to the left forms the axis of the garden front and originally contained a conservatory, now having three tall three-light stone mullion windows with transoms at first floor level. Each gable has a seven-light stone mullion attic window. The 16th-century gable to the left of the loggia has an early 19th-century two-storey canted bay window with sashes. A two-window range set back to the left is 16th century with 18th-century sash windows with ashlar surrounds and glazing bars.

The orangery of around 1718, probably by John Lumley, is attached to the left. Built of ashlar, it presents a nine-window range with tall sash window openings with ashlar surrounds and keyblocks, now fitted with 20th-century casement windows with glazing bars. A 20th-century door appears at the base of the third window from the left. It has a cornice and panelled parapet with small urn finials. The 16th-century gable to the left of the orangery marks the end of the west range of the second courtyard and has 19th-century two-light and five-light stone mullion windows.

The north elevation presents an irregular range. From left to right, the principal elements are: a two-storey canted bay window corresponding to and matching the far right of the garden front; a five-window range of square windows at ground floor and blind sash windows at first floor, forming the library of around 1740; and the late 15th-century gatearch, remodelled in 1652, rising to three storeys. The gatearch with panelled doors has a moulded stone surround and spandrels bearing the arms of Mildmay and Walsingham. To the left is a round-headed niche with vermiculated rustication and a heraldic griffin above. A similar arrangement was removed from the left side when the library was built. Above are the arms of Mildmay Fane, second Earl of Westmorland, flanked by cornucopiae. A three-light stone mullion first floor window has arch-headed lights, an embellished sill and jambs, and a device above with the inscription "Pace et amore suum palma coronat opus". A similar two-light window appears at second floor level. Three bays to the right of the gatearch are 16th century, breaking forward and setting back alternately, with various two-light and three-light stone mullion windows. To the right, the shaped gable of the Old Dining Room has two tall 18th-century sash windows at first floor and a blind oval window in the gable. The kitchen is a three-window range of tall two-light wood mullion and transomed full-height windows. To the right are three irregular gables with two-light, three-light and four-light stone mullion windows. A lateral stack separates this range from a two-storey range modified in the 20th century to form a caretaker's dwelling.

The east elevation of the main courtyard dates from the late 15th and 16th centuries, comprising the hall range with a cross-wing. This irregular seven-window range has the shaped gable of the cross-wing to the left of centre. A four-light stone mullion oriel window to the hall, with transoms and arch-headed lights, appears to the right of centre. The hall window to the immediate right is formed with four two-light stone mullion windows with high sills. A two-storey porch to the right originally gave access to the screens passage and has a small shaped gablet with pinnacles above. The doorway has a four-centred arch-head, a door with traceried panelling, and a two-light stone mullion window above. There is a two-light stone mullion window and attached five-light stone mullion canted bay window to the far right, and a similar canted bay window to the far left. The cross-wing and bay to the left have three-light and four-light stone mullion windows. All windows have arch-headed lights. The pitched roof sits behind plain parapets.

The west elevation of the main courtyard is early 17th century, with a five-window range at first floor. Nine-bay arcades at ground floor feature blind semi-circular arches with keyblocks and plain pilasters between arches, supporting an entablature above. This was reconstructed by Blomfield in the early 20th century, with the exception of the early 17th-century centre bay, which projects forward as a two-storey porch with pairs of Doric ironstone columns. An eight-light stone mullion square bay window with transom above the porch has a plain parapet with a central merlon armorial device and pinnacles. Flanking first floor windows are two-light and four-light stone mullion windows with transoms. A plain parapet with three shaped and stepped gables with pinnacles crowns the range.

The south elevation of the main courtyard has a three-storey late 15th-century gatearch to the centre with an oriel window at first floor. An octagonal stair turret with a lead domed roof stands to the right. The four-window range to the right is the library of around 1740, with a rusticated ground floor having small square windows. First floor sash windows each have a moulded stone surround and pulvinated frieze with entablature. A frieze below the eaves has a cornice and shallow gabled roof. The four-window range to the left of the gatehouse is late 15th to early 16th century, modified in the 17th and 18th centuries, with two-light mullion and transom windows at ground floor and sash windows at first floor. It has a plain parapet with pinnacles and a stepped and shaped gable to the right of centre.

The north elevation of the main courtyard, dating from around 1623 and remodelled around 1740 probably by Roger Morris, presents a ten-window range. The rusticated ground floor has sash windows at first floor, all similar to the south elevation of the library. Three bays to the right of centre have engaged Doric columns rising from a first floor plat band to support a triangular pediment with a central lunette. These pedimented bays project forward slightly and have a central panelled door at ground floor and alternate triangular and segmental pediments over the first floor windows. A metope frieze with cornice and plain parapet completes the elevation.

The east elevation of the second court is an early 16th-century five-window range of two-light stone mullion windows with arch-headed lights at first floor and later three-light windows at ground floor. A doorway with a four-centred arch-head appears to the left of centre. The west elevation of the second court is the rear of the hall range, with the former porch into the hall now modified, and various gables. Two minor courtyards enclosed by the hall range and the matted passage were roofed in the mid-19th century. An archway from the north-west corner of this courtyard, now blocked, formerly led to a third courtyard formed from various outbuildings modified in the 20th century.

The interior contains exceptional rooms and features spanning several centuries. The hall, dating from around 1480, has a 17th-century fireplace with a four-centred arch-head and a doorway with a four-centred arch-head in the north wall. The gallery has turned balusters and some reset 17th-century panelling. The original four-bay roof has five trusses with cambered arched-braced collars, two tiers of purlins and three tiers of windbraces. The oriel window contains mid-19th-century heraldic glass by Edward Browning. A moulded doorway in the south wall of the hall leads to the cross-wing consisting of three rooms at ground floor and originally one room at first floor. To the south is the parlour. These ranges have roof structures of around 1624 and were remodelled internally by Browning in the mid-19th century. The matted passage runs parallel to the hall range and originally gave access to the cross-wing at right angles to the parlour; it has been incorporated into the range by later additions.

The Old Dining Room to the north of the hall has a plaster barrel ceiling and a fireplace with a 17th-century plaster overmantel featuring three armless terms between two armorial panels. The north range of the main courtyard has a centre gatearch with the canopy room above having a quadripartite vault. Two rooms at first floor to the left of the gatearch have 18th-century panelling. To the right of the gatearch is the library of around 1740, from which all internal fittings were removed in 1949. To the far right of the library is a 17th-century staircase with turned balusters.

The south range of the main courtyard contained the state rooms of around 1623 at first floor. The ground floor was originally an open flagged room and has heavily rusticated doorways at either end. A new dining room was created at the east end in 1876. At the west end is the White Stair, remodelled around 1848 by Bryan Browning, which has stick balustrades and cantilevered stone treads. Plasterwork panels date from around 1740; the panel on the south wall has swags and a scroll pediment.

The Great Dining Room or Tapestry Room to the east of the White Stair has a clunch fireplace of 1562 with a rectangular opening with sunk panelled surround and an overmantel with an inscribed central panel and flanking pairs of quasi-Ionic pilasters. It has a dentilled cornice and a coved ceiling with strapwork incorporating armorial crests. The drawing room to the east has 17th-century scratch-moulded panelling and an oolite fireplace with black marble insets and Ionic columns. The frieze above the rectangular opening has an open book and flanking arms holding a sword and sceptre. The overmantel has a bas-relief of the Sacrifice of Isaac and former flanking figures, one now missing. The coved ceiling has fretwork of broad ribs enclosing armorial crests. A doorway to the right of the fireplace gives access to the conservatory of around 1848.

The King's Room to the east has an oolite and marble fireplace with flanking Ionic columns, a frieze depicting a hunting scene, and an overmantel with two terms holding back drapes to reveal the figures of War and Peace. The ceiling with a central cove has strapwork and a large central panel containing the Stuart Royal Arms.

The east range of the main courtyard contains the entrance hall at ground floor, remodelled by Blomfield in the early 20th century, and the long gallery of around 1623 at first floor. In the entrance hall is a reset statue of James I. The oak stair to the south of the entrance hall is 17th century, installed in 1922. A secondary stair to the left, rising from the first floor, has turned balusters.

The Despenser Room at ground floor at the south end of this range has restored 17th-century panelling and a fireplace with a four-centred arch-head and a Jacobean wooden overmantel with Despenser crests. The Duke's Room or Prince's Room immediately above the Despenser Room has an oolite fireplace with marble inset, flanking pilasters, a frieze with Prince of Wales devices, and a broken pediment above supporting a carved panel depicting a ship in full sail. It has a flat strapwork ceiling.

The long gallery has early 17th-century panelling with a jewelled cutwork frieze and fluted Corinthian pilasters flanking the windows. The oolite fireplace with black marble insets has flanking Ionic columns supporting an entablature and broken pediment out of which rises a figure of King David playing a harp. There are flanking reclining figures and a central inscribed panel. The flat ribbed ceiling has geometrical patterns.

Apethorpe Palace was begun by Sir Guy Wolston in the late 15th century. In 1550 it passed to Sir Walter Mildmay, and in 1617 to Sir Francis Fane, later Earl of Westmorland, who was responsible for much rebuilding. Elizabeth I stayed in 1566, and James I visited in 1605, 1614, 1616 and 1619, using Apethorpe for hunting. The seventh Earl of Westmorland began an ambitious Palladian remodelling around 1740 which was never completed. The house was altered in the mid-19th century for the Westmorlands. In 1904 the estate was sold to Leonard Brassey, later Baron Brassey, grandson of the railway contractor Thomas Brassey, who engaged Sir Reginald Blomfield as architect. In 1949 the house became an approved school, resulting in various modifications to the interior. The house was unoccupied at the time of the survey.

The east front of Apethorpe Palace forms part of the forecourt with walls and gatepiers attached to and extending from the building.