Clifton Castle

CLIFTON ON YORE CLIFTON CASTLE SE 28 SW 6/66 Clifton Castle 5.5.52 GV II* Country house. c1800. By John Foss for Timothy Hutton. Ashlar with graduated stone slate roof. Main house of 5 bays, 2 storeys with service wing of 3 storeys, 8 bays to rear left. Service wing at right angles to rear right of 4 bays, 3 storeys. 1-storey wings forming a courtyard with service wings to rear, Main front: central 3 bays have 4 giant Ionic columns supporting a frieze and pediment. Plinth. Central late-C19 half- glazed doors with fanlight, pilasters on plinths with friezes supporting segmental pediment, the whole flanked by side lights. All windows have late C19 sashes. First-floor band. Heavy dentilled cornice with plain parapet, coat of arms with flowing foliage to each side. Left return has a 3-bay full-height central bow window. Right return: outer 2 bays on each side break forward from central first-floor bay which has large tripartite stair window; below it 3 circular windows with radiating glazing bars; original sashes apart from 2 right ground-floor bays. Service wings have sashes with glazing bars and cornices. Rear 4 bays of rear left wing probably later C19. North 1-storey wing of courtyard has central basket-headed arch with impost bands, a 2-light window above and pyramidal roof. Windows to outer bays of this wing are in the form of mullion and transom windows with casements and sashes. Inside the courtyard 2 sides have semicircular-headed arches. All roofs hipped with ridge stacks. Interior of house; completely original restrained neo-classical. Imperial staircase with slender wrought- iron baluster decorated with acanthus leaves. The stair starts behind a screen of columns. Tripartite stair window has Ionic columns, ceiling has good plasterwork with circular central motif and ribbons of natural motifs with garlands surrounding it. Good neo-classical chimneypieces, cornices and plasterwork in other rooms.

Listing NGR: SE2184784244