Hinton House (South Range)

Hinton House (south range) is a country house, originally medieval, with substantial rebuilding in about 1500 and later extensions in the late 16th century. The south front dates from about 1630, with 18th-century alterations, likely by Matthew Brettingham. Remodelling of the west front began around 1796 under Sir John Soane, and was subsequently taken over by James Wyatt and his nephew, Sir Jeffry Wyattville. The house was the seat of the Poulett family from 1429 to 1973, and was divided in the 1960s.

The house is constructed of ham stone ashlar, with Welsh slate roofs of a low pitch, hipped in places, and concealed by parapets. Ashlar chimney stacks have moulded caps. The formal west front, of three bays, is in Gothic style, partly attributable to Soane and Wyatt, and features an octagonal corner turret, a string course, and battlemented parapets. The central bay is an angled projection with buttresses to each angle. Two-light cruciform casement windows, with 24 panes and Gothic-arched traceried tops with labels, are set within each face of the central bay. The ground floor window of the centre bay has paired three-panel doors, with a transom, leading to a raised terrace.

The south facade, of ten bays, has a matching bay to the west elevation. The remaining nine bays are set back and date from about 1630. They have unusually wide bays with a plinth, string course, parapet with quatrefoil panels (likely added in the early 19th century), and cruciform casement windows. Ground floor windows have 48 panes and low cills; first floor windows have 36 panes, all set in eared architraves with pediments on console brackets. A lead plaque bearing the arms of the first Lord Poulett and his wife is positioned between the first-floor windows of bays four and five. Rainwater stackheads also bear the Poulett arms.

The east elevation, of four bays, is similar to the south facade. Lower windows, now partly below modern ground level, are blocked. A matching return is present on the north side, and the east side connects to other sections of the house via a link way.

The interior, partially inspected, reveals early 17th-century rooms behind the south facade. Three rooms are panelled, and the west room has a moulded plaster ceiling dated 1636, with a central oval set within strapwork. A late 18th-century hall and staircase are located behind the west front. The former north entrance, with tower and porte-cochere, designed by Sir Jeffry Wyattville, now forms a separate building, Tower House. The kitchen court to the north-east is now subdivided as Brettingham Court, and the stable court with riding house to the north-west is subdivided as Wyatt Court. Stop-chamfered spine beams with run-out stops are present in the interior.