Flats 1, 2, 3, Porch House, Bell Tower, Cloisters, South Wing, Pediment, Corner House And Tower House At Dingley Hall

A Grade I listed country house now converted into 10 dwellings, occupying the site of a pre-Reformation preceptory of the Knights Hospitallers of St John. The building was substantially developed in two phases: 1558-60 for Edward Griffin, and the 1670s and 1680s for Sir Edmund Griffin, with the latter work probably designed by Hugh May or Captain W. Winde.

The house is constructed of limestone, lias and ironstone ashlar with a Swithland slate roof. The original courtyard plan has been modified to an irregular U-shape with projecting wings.

The late 17th-century main front presents an 8-window range fitted with 20th-century casements with glazing bars set in original openings. The surrounds are moulded stone architraves with a string course between floors. A dentilled wood cornice runs beneath the roofline, which is hipped with ashlar chimney stacks and moulded cornices at ridge and eaves. Five roof dormers with wood pediments contain 20th-century roof windows between them. A projecting wing to the left is a 3-window range with rusticated quoins, similarly detailed.

A notable feature is a fine mid-16th-century porch, relocated in the 19th century to the end of the wing. This porch has pairs of fluted Corinthian columns at ground floor flanking a 4-centred arch head opening, with a frieze above. The first floor contains a 20th-century casement in a moulded stone surround topped by a pediment with ball finials at base and apex. Square panels with rosettes frame the window, with flanking shafts terminating as bulbous pinnacles. A central moulded flourish with volutes and shells adorns the composition. The return walls of the porch are similarly detailed.

A mid-16th-century wing projecting to the right of the main front forms the rear of the gatehouse. This wing has a 4-window range of 3-light stone mullion windows, three with arch-head lights and one with a transom. Two windows to the left are flanked by pilasters rising from a 4-bay ground floor open arcade of arches with 4-centred heads. To the right of the arcade, a range contains two 20th-century doors with 4-centred arched heads and two 2-light stone mullion windows with arch-head lights. Cornices separate the floors, and an ashlar parapet features elongated half-decagons with concave sides and shell and armorial decoration. A 20th-century mansard extension was added to the roof. An octagonal turret to the far right has a similar parapet with rounded merlons.

The late 17th-century garden front to the right of the main front comprises a 7-window range of 20th-century casements with glazing bars in original openings with moulded stone surrounds. The centre three bays break forward beneath a pediment with dentilled wood cornice. A central door opening has a 20th-century casement in a moulded stone surround topped by a segmental pediment; the window above has a wide moulded stone surround and bracketed cornice. A string course runs between floors, with rusticated quoins at the corners. The hipped roof carries three dormers and ashlar stacks at the ridge.

A mid-17th-century limestone ashlar gatehouse is attached to the left, originally the main entrance to the courtyard. Double gates sit beneath a 4-centred arch head with decorated spandrels, flanked by pilasters with corbels supporting diagonal pilasters to the first floor. A 6-light stone-mullion and transom window lights the first floor, topped by a pediment. Cornices separate the floors, and parapets feature three bulbous finials. Flanking octagonal turrets have parapets with semi-circular merlons. An inscription around the gate arch incorporates Latin text relating to King Philip of Spain.

Mid-17th-century one- and two-window ranges flank the gatehouse to left and right, similarly detailed with plain parapets and merlons.

A late 17th-century elevation to the right of the garden front comprises a 2-window range with canted projection. The elevation to the left of the main front has 20th-century casements. The rear elevation was restored in the 20th century and retains a mid-17th-century turret to the right with 2- and 3-light stone mullion windows with arch-head lights and a castellated parapet.

The interiors were remodelled in the late 20th century, though some spiral stairs remain in the turrets.

The house was occupied by the Griffin family until the late 18th century, subsequently by the Hungerfords, then by Viscounts Downe (who probably relocated the main porch), and later by Admiral, Earl Beatty.