The Abbey House

NZ 9011 2/10

The Abbey House

23.2.54.

I Medieval in origin and thought to incorporate part of the Abbot's House. The plan is however a complicated one and the building contains work chiefly of the Cl6 but also of all subsequent periods. Main part is 3 storeys and attics. Patched ashlar with various windows - old sashes with architraves and cornices, mullioned and transomed stone windows, ordinary sashes, and 3-light stone mullioned windows, all irregularly placed. Stone cornice, parapet, pantiles and dormers. Right hand wing projects at right angles. This is 3 storeys, ashlar bands. Sashes in late Cl7 stone architraves with triple keyblocks, the end 4 windows having architraves, pulvinated friezes and pediments. 2 windows to ground floor: First floor: 4 windows with scrolled broken pediments. Ruined part to North was built by Sir Hugh Cholmley in the reign of Charles II. This part was ruined in a great wind circa 1775 and was never rebuilt. Monumental 2 storey front elevation of 11 windows with stone architraves, firezes and cornices, one with central Renaissance projecting feature in 2 stages crowned by broken segmental pediment with foliage swags. Panelled door in eaved surround flanked by Ionic columns, with similar columns to sides of feature. Frieze and cornice. Similarly arranged Corinthian column to first floor enclosing window with architrave.

Interior of house itself has 4 C16 panelled rooms, 2 Cl6 staircases with balustades and newels, 2 immense kitchen fire arches of 4 centres, a pair of old stone fireplaces in a further room with Caernarvon heads, 2 Cl7 bolection moulded fireplaces, a wall containing a Cl2 round column with simple moulded capital, probably reused, and other features. There are a few items of old portable furniture belonging to the house.

The property was bought by the Cholmley family in 1555 after being held on lease by them since the Reformation, and was built out of stone and materials from the adjoining Abbey. It is said that in 1570 the house was of wood and that it was rebuilt in 1626 in stone, but the evidence on this point is not conclusive. NMR.

Abbey House and Youth Hostel form a group.

Listing NGR: NZ9024511120