Drayton House

Drayton House is a country house with a complex building history spanning from the late 13th century to the early 20th century. Building works are recorded by Isaac Rowe, John Webb, William Talman, Gerard Lanscroon, William Rhodes, Alexander Roos, George Devey and J.A. Gotch. The house is constructed of squared coursed limestone and limestone ashlar with lead and Collyweston slate roofs. It is arranged around a courtyard plan with various additions.

The structure comprises two and three storeys, parts with attics, and two three-storey towers.

The south front, or entrance front, extends five bays with square buttressed turrets between bays. The centre bay breaks forward, forming a late 17th-century gatehouse probably by Isaac Rowe. The central arch-head doorway has a rusticated surround and rectangular panel above. The two bays flanking the gatehouse are early 14th-century curtain walls. The second bay to the right has a one-window range to the far right of stone mullion windows. The wall, gatehouse and turrets all have castellated parapets. Bays attached to far left and right are late 16th century, each with a one-window range of four-light stone mullion windows with transoms. The left bay has a castellated parapet and the right bay has a gable. The shallow gabled lead roof of the centre bays is not visible.

The east front, to the right of the south front, extends eleven irregular bays with buttresses between centre and left bays and lateral stacks between bays to the right. Four bays to the left are late 16th century, remodelled in the 18th century. They are two storeys with a seven-window range of irregularly spaced sash windows with glazing bars and moulded stone architraves at first floor; two windows to the far left are blind. Stone mullion windows occur at ground floor. The adjacent two bays are probably 15th century, remodelled in the 18th century, three storeys with a four-window range similar to the previous four bays. The 16th-century centre tower is three storeys with four corner turrets, a castellated parapet and an early 18th-century cupola at the north-west corner. The remaining four bays to the right form the north-east wing of circa 1584, probably by Thomas Thorpe. It is three storeys with a five-window range of stone mullion windows and large casement windows to the second floor library. The bay to the far right breaks forward with a small gablet over. Castellated parapet runs throughout the range. An early 18th-century doorcase to the right of the centre tower is by Talman. It has a rusticated surround with keyblock, pulvinated frieze, segmental pediment and heraldic devices of the Duchess of Norfolk and Sir John Germain. An attached flight of steps has a wrought-iron handrail, probably by J. Tijou.

The north front, to the right of the east front, is mid-15th century, extended late 16th century and remodelled in the 18th century. It extends nine bays including towers to far left and right. The centre range is two storeys with three bays of three- and four-light stone mullion windows with transoms. The central moulded stone doorcase is by Talman. Two bays to left and right are three storeys with a three-window range of sash windows similar to those on the east front. Castellated parapets run throughout. A polygonal centre turret originally formed part of the 15th-century porch to the screens passage. The flanking tower to the left is also the centre tower of the east front and has the north-east wing breaking forward at right angles. The flanking tower to the right is similar, rebuilt early 18th century by Talman, with a blank elevation to the north front. The gable end of the north-east wing has a second-floor early 20th-century arch-head window by J.A. Gotch. The return wall of this wing is three storeys with six irregular bays, with centre and left hand bays breaking forward. It has two-, three- and four-light stone mullion windows with transoms.

The west front, to the right of the north front, has a seven-window range with five tall sash windows and two- and three-light stone mullion windows. The north-west tower to the right has one cross casement to each floor. A three-window range attached at right angles to the right has cross casements under gauged stone heads.

The north elevation of the courtyard, to the rear of the gatehouse, extends five bays. The gatehouse breaks forward to the centre, similar to the south front. Flanking three-window ranges have tall casements with glazing bars at ground floor with square windows above; all have segmental heads and ashlar surrounds.

The south elevation of the courtyard, to the Great Hall and Dining Room, was remodelled by Talman and executed by Benjamin Jackson circa 1702. It extends seven bays. The central square-head doorway with French doors has moulded stone architraves; flanking ribbed Corinthian columns support a cornice with entablature breaking forward above the columns. A moulded keystone with flanking drapes occurs below a trophy of military devices with recumbent lions above the cornice. Flanking three-window ranges have tall sash windows with glazing bars, moulded and eared architraves and low cills. Windows immediately to left and right of the doorway have keyblocks and scroll pediments. Windows to the centre of each range have triangular pediments and those to far left and right have segmental pediments; all have stepped keyblocks. Rectangular fielded panels above each window have central brackets with busts. A moulded cornice with fielded panelled parapet runs above. Gadrooned urns are mounted on the parapet between bays. The parapet of the centre bay rises to form a triangular pediment supported on pilasters with caryatids, with a central heraldic device representing Sir John Germain and the Duchess of Norfolk. The medieval gabled roof of the hall is not visible. A central flight of steps has a wrought iron handrail, probably by J. Tijou.

The elevations of the courtyard to left and right were also remodelled by Talman. They feature seven-bay open loggias with Doric columns. Plain ashlar parapets above have urns mounted between bays with central armorial devices. Rear walls of the loggias have plain pilasters between bays, fielded panelling and arch-head niches flanking central doorways. 16th-century first floor four-window ranges behind the loggias have three- and four-light stone mullion windows with transoms. Three-storey, two-window ranges flanking the south elevation above the loggias are late 14th century, remodelled in the 18th century with sash windows. They have castellated parapets and polygonal turrets at corners.

The interior contains many notable features. An undercroft entered from the north corner of the east loggia is double aisled, with four bays of chamfered rib vaults, octagonal piers and polygonal responds. It is originally a late 13th-century solar undercroft. The Great Hall to the left of the undercroft is a medieval structure remodelled early 18th century by Talman and decorated by Alexander Roos circa 1850 to simulate marble. It has ribbed Ionic pilasters, moulded cornice and coved ceiling with a marble fireplace. The Dining Room to the left of the Great Hall was originally the medieval buttery and pantry, remodelled circa 1771/74 by William Rhodes possibly to a design by William Chambers. It has plasterwork wall panels, coved cornice with interlaced vine leaves and similar decoration to the ceiling with a mid-19th-century centrepiece. A marble fireplace with ribbed columns is present.

A range of three rooms facing the north front were probably added late 16th century. The oak staircase to the left of this range is probably late 16th century, rising around a square well. The stone staircase to the right of this range is early 18th century by Talman, rising around a square well with a wrought-iron handrail, probably by J. Tijou. The walls were painted circa 1712 by G. Lanscroon in Baroque style. The walnut stair in the north-east tower is late 17th century with cantilevered oak treads, rising around a circular well, with a turned walnut balustrade.

The Green Drawing Room in the north-east wing, remodelled circa 1773 by W. Rhodes, has a ceiling with hexagonal coffering and moulded wood doorcases with a marble fireplace. The Blue Drawing Room, adjacent, has a bolection moulded fireplace with overmantle by John Webb. The State Bedroom, adjacent, was remodelled circa 1653 by J. Webb. Its bolection moulded fireplace has an overmantle with scroll pediment and swags. Above this room is a priest's hole. A lacquer closet off the State Bedroom has panels of Chinese Coromandel screen let into the wall. The chapel to the south-east of the courtyard is said to have remains of an 18th-century interior.

The Kings Dining Room at first floor was originally the medieval solar, remodelled late 17th century with fielded pine panelling grained to represent chestnut. The ceiling has a central wreath probably by Edward Goudge with a bolection moulded fireplace. Some first floor rooms of the north-east wing have marble fireplaces and one first-floor room in the south-east wing is said to have 17th-century panelling.

The library, originally the long gallery, occupies the second floor of the north-east wing. It has panelled walls and sloping ceilings with fitted bookcases, restored early 20th century. This wing has a vaulted cellar.

The principal owners of Drayton responsible for building works were Sir Simon de Drayton who was licensed to crenellate in 1328; Sir Henry Greene responsible for mid/late 15th-century ranges flanking the Great Hall range which included the Solar; the third Lord Mordaunt responsible for late 16th-century work including the towers and north-east wing; the second Earl of Peterborough responsible for mid/late 17th-century work including the gatehouse; the Duchess of Norfolk and Sir John Germain responsible for early 18th-century work by Talman; Lord George Germain responsible for late 18th-century internal remodelling; and the Stopford-Sackville family responsible for 19th and early 20th-century work.

The gardens are included in the Historic England Register of Parks and Gardens at grade I.